VIENNA – If the EU does not reach the decision on beginning of accession talks with North Macedonia, this will practically mean that it does not appreciate the Prespa Agreement, stressed Prime Minister of North Macedonia Zoran Zaev.
He believes that in that case the EU cannot expect the solution of the issue of Kosovo, for which North Macedonia and Greece are constantly highlighted as an example.
“Everybody says that the Prespa Agreement is, for now, one of the best agreements in the Western Balkans. If the EU “punishes” this agreement and North Macedonia by postponing the accession negotiations, how can it be expected that Aleksandar Vučić and Hahsim Thaçi will find the solution for the issue of Kosovo, or how it will motivate the leaders of Bosnia and Herzegovina to find the solution for the formation of government?”, Zaev stated for Tanjug.
He emphasised that the Western Balkans is yet to take care of multiple issues and that the motivation of the EU is necessary.
“I hope that the EU will provide us with the motivation to carry on with the hard work on reforms and the future”, said Zaev.
He expressed hope that North Macedonia will get the green light during the forthcoming meeting of the heads of EU member states, despite not receiving one from the Council of the EU in Luxembourg yesterday.
“There is no EU country that has complaints about us. The problem lies in the reform of the EU. We expect that the reform and enlargement can be implemented simultaneously, that is that the accession process of North Macedonia and Albania can continue”, he said.
North Macedonia, according to him, has no alternative.
“If the EU does not reach the decision on the beginning of accession negotiations we will not give up on our European path. EU is our future”, Zaev underlined.
He stated that, because of the EU, North Macedonia has changed its name and concluded the agreements with Greece and Bulgaria, simultaneously improving its relations with other neighbours.
“We believe that the EU will motivate us to continue our work and achieve even more success”, he said.