Zaev: I expect EU accession talks by the end of the year

North Macedonia’s Prime Minister Zoran Zaev told Sunday that he expects the upcoming European Council meeting to confirm what the EU verified in the European Commission’s progress report.
“Our people and our country deserve this,” Zaev said, adding that he expects the country to get a date for negotiations in September or in October and to start EU accession negotiations by year-end.
He added that we will wait the German Bundestag to decide on the start of the EU accession negotiations with North Macedonia, after which the country will finally get a date for negotiations.
“I am pleased that we have a chance to join NATO by end of the year. Then we will start EU accession negotiations thus successfully finishing this year with respect to integration processes,” Zaev said told reporters during today’s visit to Prespa.