Amelie de Montchalin doesn’t Reveal whether it will Approve date for Macedonia

After her address on Monday at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Amelie de Montchalin, State Secretary for European Affairs at the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, was asked whether Macedonia could expect French support for a start of negotiations with the EU. “On the situation in North Macedonia, I think that, here, we really must welcome the historic step forward taken with the Prespa Agreement. In fact, in the modern world, I don’t think I can think of another government which has been so bold in tackling the issue of regional reconciliation. It’s even gone so far as to change the name of its country and I think we have to pay tribute to the political courage that that required. Now, I’m not here going to pre-empt any decision that may be taken on 15 October in Luxembourg, but last July, at a meeting that doesn’t have very much to do with the meeting we’re having here today, at a meeting, the European Council did commit itself to taking a decision of substance in October and since then, I have had repeated contacts with people from North Macedonia and I can tell you we’re working towards a clear and substantive decision,” she said.