Tag Archives: EU

Four Areas in Focus of Plan 18

The judicial system, security-intelligence services, public administration sector and fight against corruption are the areas on which the reforms contained in the Government’s Plan 18 for getting closer to the EU are focused. Plan 18 is continuation of the reforms implemented with Plan 3-6-9. At Tuesday’s briefing with journalists, ruling coalition members said they were waiting for remarks about the ...

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Austrian National Council President Sobotka Delivers Address in Parliament

Within the frameworks of his visit to Skopje, Wolfgang Sobotka, President of the Austrian National Council, delivered an address in Parliament. As he said, the constitutional changes needed for the name change represent a moment of parliamentarism. “Brave steps are needed,” Sobotka pointed out. According to him, though he understands that the issue isn’t simple for opposition MPs and that ...

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PM Zaev calls for Inclusive Process to Continue

At a press-conference on Friday, PM Zoran Zaev said the demands by BESA and Alliance for Albanians regarding constitutional changes caused changes that weren’t of identity and Ohrid Framework Agreement nature. However, he added MPs had a legitimate right to demand that. The PM called for the inclusive process to continue. Zaev hopes that the spring of 2019 will see ...

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Pavlopoulos: NATO, EU Integration only After Name Issue Resolution

During a speech at an event organised by the Commander of the Greek Army’s Third Corps Dimitrios Bikos, Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos referred the name issue between Greece and Macedonia, and the recently signed Prespa Agreement. “We strive for cordial and good neighbourly ties and in practice, we have been demonstrating that we support membership into NATO and the EU, ...

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Zaev Remains Open for Opposition Suggestions to Draft Amendments

I remain open to including the opposition to allow them to make their own suggestions for strengthening identity, guaranteeing the commitment and the voting in Greece, our integration into the EU, Prime Minister Zoran Zaev stated on Wednesday. He said he would hold consultation meetings later in the day with all parliamentary groups. “I want to hold the first consultation ...

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Slovenian FM Says Process in Parliament is Legitimate

Slovenian Foreign Minister Miro Cerar at Wednesday’s joint press conference with FM Nikola Dimitrov said that he is aware that the consultative referendum did not meet the fundamental legal requirements to be valid, however Slovenia considers that the result brought convincing message to continue the political processes for EU integration, i.e. for joining NATO.  We consider that the process happening ...

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Former NATO Sec Gen Robertson Appeals for Look to the Future

Former NATO secretary-general, Lord George Robertson, addressed the Atlantic Council on Monday, saying time has come for everyone in Macedonia to look to the future and defend the country’s national interest. “Remember the courage of your politicians during the 2001 crisis. They saved their country from certain bloodshed. Certain politicians are now demonstrating such courage,” said Robertson. According to him, ...

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Mogherini – Hahn Joint Statement Following Parliament Vote

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini and Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn welcomed in a joint statement the Parliament’s decision to initiate constitutional changes towards implementation of the Prespa Agreement.  “Today, the Parliament took a very important step towards the implementation of the Prespa agreement through the vote launching the ...

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US State Department Official Urges Leaders in Macedonia to Seize Opportunity

We urge leaders in the Macedonian parliament to rise above partisan politics and seize this historic opportunity to secure a brighter future for the country, US State Department official told Greece’s state-run news agency ANA-MPA. In regard to the resignation of Greece’s FM Nikos Kotzias, the US State Department thanked the Greek official for his dedicated service to improving Greek-US ...

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Greek FM Kotzias Resigns

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias has resigned following a disagreement with the defense minister over the handling of a recent deal which would change Macedonia’s name in exchange for Greece dropping its objections to the country joining NATO, AP reported. Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras announced Wednesday he had accepted Kotzias’ resignation, and said he would take over the foreign ministry ...

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