Dendias in Skopje, Tsipras in Paris to support the European prospects of North Macedonia


Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Dendias was in North Macedonia today on his first visit, in order to actively support the country’s European prospects. Amid uncertainty caused by the French “veto” in North Macedonia’s and Albania’s accession negotiations, Nikos Dendias will be welcomed by President Stevo Pendarovski and Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, while he …

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Sassoli: Blocking North Macedonia and Albania’s accession talks as an example why EU rules need to change


European Parliament President David Sassoli pointed out in an answer to a reporter’s question, blocking of the start of North Macedonia and Albania’s accession talks as an example why EU rules need to change. The European Parliament is considering implementing reforms in several aspects of EU’s decision-making process, such as the right to veto, Parliament’s …

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EU to discuss enlargement, but not French proposal Tuesday


Tytti Tuppurainen, Finnish Minister for European Affairs, said the French proposal for reforms in the enlargement process will not be discussed at today’s meeting of the General Affairs Council. “It is quite far reaching and today at General Affairs Council we will not discuss the French initiative. We will come back to the enlargement policy …

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Pompeo and Le Drian support North Macedonia’s accession to the EU


United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian have expressed their support to North Macedonia’s EU accession. “Secretary Pompeo and Foreign Minister Le Drian exchanged views on the importance of EU accession for North Macedonia and Albania, on support for Ukraine, and on holding Iran accountable for its ongoing …

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Pendarovski: Macron guaranteed the new negotiating methodology would be adopted by March


North Macedonia’s President Stevo Pendarovski received guarantees from French counterpart Emmanuel Macron that the new negotiating methodology would be adopted by March at the latest, whereas subsequent developments depended on political decisions. “I am a moderate optimist, not a radical one. We did not get a 100-percent guarantee from President Macron that the Zagreb summit …

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Hahn for Financial Times: The EU insulted years of Commission’s work by not opening talks with Skopje


In an interview with Financial Times, outgoing EU Commissioner Johannes Hahn reiterated his disappointment that EU member states failed to agree that North Macedonia and Albania should be given the green light to start EU accession talks. According to Hahn, the failure came exactly at a time when the EU should have really reinforced its …

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Pendarovski and Macron meet in Paris


After meeting his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday in Paris, North Macedonia’s President Pendarovski said that ‘open and dynamic’ talks took place, but Paris hasn’t yet provided any guarantees about a date for opening of EU negotiations. Macron is asking for more time for the EU to reform itself within. President Pendarovski presented his …

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Mickoski: There’s no alternative to full-fledged EU membership


We think there’s no alternative to full-fledged EU membership, and we’ve been reiterating this for a long time, VMRO-DPMNE leader Hristijan Mickoski said yesterday. “We’ve said it before, but Macedonia should use every chance it gets to improve the quality of living standards for the citizens, however it should be done through bilateral agreements,” Mickoski …

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Gerberich: Reason for not starting negotiations didn’t lie in Skopje and Tirana but in enlargement skepticism


German Ambassador to Skopje Thomas Gerberich said the reason for the delay in the start of accession negotiations did not lie in North Macedonia and Albania but in enlargement skepticism. Ambassador Gerberich told conference “Transition of Legal Systems: 30 years after the Fall of the Berlin Wall” at the Skopje-based Faculty of Law that the …

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Hahn: I hope the mistake of not opening talks with North Macedonia and Albania will be reversed


Outgoing EU Commissioner for European Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations, Johannes Hahn, addressed the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs on Thursday. Debate was mainly focused on the Western Balkans. The enlargement commissioner once again voiced regret that EU member states failed to reach consensus in October to open accession talks with North Macedonia and Albania …

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Falconi: Palmer’s statement of ‘EU’s historic mistake’ is wrong


French Ambassador to Serbia Jean-Louis Falconi said his country had “no reserves” regarding the EU accession of Western Balkan countries, adding that certain criteria must be fulfilled. “On the issue of opening accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania, I must say these countries have made exceptional efforts, especially with the signing of the Prespa …

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Zaev: new methodology for EU accession negotiationswould give us a fair chance


The new methodology for EU accession negotiations can be adapted by the first intergovernmental conference, which takes place a few months after the decision to start talks is reached, said Prime Minister of North Macedonia, Zoran Zaev. “The new methodology would give us a fair chance. If we succeed, we move forward. If we don’t, …

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Picula and Drljević: The EU membership for the Balkan countries is important in terms of stability in the region


The European Parliament supports the enlargement policy and Montenegro should continue on the right path of implementing reforms, in order to become the next member of the EU, Chief Negotiator Aleksandar Drljević and European Parliament Rapporteur for Montenegro Tonino Picula noted. During his visit to Brussels, the Chief Negotiator met with the new EP Rapporteur for Montenegro, …

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European Council: EU enlargement will be formally included in the agenda of the General Affairs Council


The European Council informs that EU enlargement will be formally included in the agenda of the General Affairs Council (GAC) in Brussels on November 19. Ministers of EU members supporting the enlargement insisted on revisiting the topic as soon as possible, but no conclusions should be expected from the meeting, only discussions on the state …

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Bilateral relations, EU accession path at the focus of the Conte-Rama meeting


Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama was on an official visit to Rome on Thursday, where he met with his Italian counterpart Giuseppe Conte. At the meeting of the two men, which took place in a very good climate, bilateral issues were discussed, both for the deepening of economic cooperation between the two countries and for …

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