November 1, 2024 — Citizens are tired of the long wait for European Union (EU) membership, said Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski after the EU released its latest progress report on North Macedonia.
“We have no time to waste. A lot of work is still ahead, as the path to Europe is a long-term effort that requires committment in all areas,” Mickoski stated. He said that his government is working hard to improve conditions across various areas and assured that there would be no delays in necessary reforms. He described these changes as the only way to improve citizens’ lives and advance North Macedonia toward EU membership.
“Citizens are frustrated with the EU accession process and feel unjustly stuck. However, our only goal for the future is membership in the European Union,” Mickoski said.
The progress report says that North Macedonia is a positive example of building a multiethnic society. However, it stresses the need to strengthen trust in the judiciary, speed up EU-related reforms, and complete constitutional amendments to recognize the Bulgarian minority.
Mickoski added that the main condition for continuing negotiations with the EU is the constitutional change to include the Bulgarian minority. So far, this process has been slow. The government has proposed that even if these changes take place, they should be implemented gradually. Mickoski said there would be no move to amend the constitution before a new government is formed in Bulgaria. “Taking unilateral action would risk our EU integration efforts because of the previous government’s mistakes. We need to receive some signal before taking any steps forward. We will not start anything risky,” he remarked.
President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova believes the country has met the necessary conditions and that it is time to start EU negotiations based on the Copenhagen criteria. “If there have been 16 positive reports, then the credibility of the report writer comes into question. If there are 16 ‘yes’ votes from Parliament and 16 from the Commission but 16 ‘no’ votes from the Council, then I think the Council should reconsider. It is time to start negotiations under the Copenhagen criteria,” Siljanovska-Davkova said.
Parliament Speaker Afrim Gashi stressed the importance of taking the European Commission’s recommendations seriously to help the country’s European future. “We must be honest and address the recommendations, working together to fix them. The sooner we resolve these issues, the better it is for us and for our integration into the EU,” Gashi said. He indicated that the Parliament is ready for constitutional changes, but political will is needed to start the process.
“Parliament is prepared for all procedures related to constitutional amendments, but for this process to begin, there must be political will and an agreement that ensures we do not start something that is doomed to fail,” Gashi highlighted.
Opposition leader Venko Filip?e stated that the progress report sends a clear message about what the country must do to achieve EU membership. He noted that North Macedonia has the chance to speed up its path to the EU, but the government is focused only on personal interests. “North Macedonia has a chance to start talks, open chapters, and speed up its EU journey. However, this government is going in the wrong direction. Because of Prime Minister Mickoski’s destructive policies, North Macedonia has never been further from the EU,” Filip?e said.
The progress report clearly outlines the need for constitutional reforms, strengthening the rule of law, and other changes crucial for North Macedonia’s EU aspirations. The country officially began negotiations in July 2022 and has only completed the screening process. Recently, it separated from Albania in the negotiation process due to a lack of implementation of constitutional changes.
