The PM Zoran Zaev remains optimistic that this June the EU will determine a date for start of the membership negotiations with Macedonia. “Some media report that this decision may as well be postponed for September or October 2019. However, I can tell you that our government completed the entire Plan 18 of reforms which brought our country closer to the long-wanted EU membership. The only thing remaining for us now is the adoption of the Law on the Special Public Prosecution, for which there are ongoing negotiations with the opposition which are progressing quite well. Once this is done, it is all up to the EU and the European Commission. I am sure they will approve the start of membership talks this June or July, or later in September mainly due to the election for the European Parliament,” Zaev says. In meantime, the Governmental Spokesperson Mile Bosnjakovski said that the government and the opposition will restart the negotiations over the Law on SPO after the presidential election. Bosnjakovski reiterated that the suggestions delivered by VMRO-DPMNE for changes to the Law on SPO are unacceptable for the government and the Justice Ministry.