Late last night, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini and Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy & Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn welcomed the early parliamentary elections in Macedonia, which were held on December 11.
“Early parliamentary elections took place in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia on Sunday, in a calm and orderly manner, with a good turnout. They were observed by the OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission, which published its preliminary statement this afternoon. These early parliamentary elections were a key element of the 2015 Pržino Agreement. They offer the country a crucial opportunity to renew a democratic, constructive dialogue to overcome the long-lasting political crisis and unite behind a common objective of Euro-Atlantic integration”, stated Mogherini and Hahn in a joint statement.
Mogherini and Hahn urged political parties to work in an inclusive manner, involving an active parliamentary opposition and a vibrant civil society.
“We look forward to a swift formation of the new parliament and of the new government and to the implementation of reforms to address systemic rule of law issues, also through the Urgent Reform Priorities. Government and opposition need to continue implementing previous political agreements in full, including supporting the work of the Special Prosecutor’s Office”, said Mogherini and Hahn, adding that the European Union will continue to support the country in its reform process, with a view to its European integration path.
