After the press conference of Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, which took place on 31st of January 2015, when he announced scandal “Puch”, the whole attention of the government, as well as its of leader, turned to the intrastate developments.
On account of this, in turn, foreign policy agenda began to lag behind. Gruevski’s travels became rarer and visits of foreign dignitaries to the country decreased as well.
Since 31st of January to today, Macedonian Prime Minister had only one meeting with a prime minister (Aleksandar Vuchik) and two meetings with officials of foreign countries (Serbia, Croatia), Secretary General of NATO Jens Stoltenberg and President of European People’s Party Joseph Daul.
Here’s everything where Gruevski has been and everyone who came to meet him:
- February 1, 2015 – After the press conference that changed the course of politics in Macedonia, the prime minister visited the flooded areas after the rain that struck Macedonia;
- February 9, 2015 – He met with Croatian Defense Minister of Croatia Ante Kotromanovik;
- February 12, 2015 – He receive Speaker of the Assembly of Republic of Serbia Maja Gojkovik;
- February 16, 2015 – After a joint government session of the governments of the Republic of Macedonia and the Republic of Serbia, agreements were signed and Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski and Aleksandar Vuchik held a joint press conference;
- March 11, 2015 – Meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Brussels;
- March 18, 2015 – As part of a government delegation, he presented investment opportunities in Macedonia to businessmen in The Hague, Netherlands;
- March 19, 2015 – In his capacity as leader of the party, he met with the head of the largest European People’s Party (EPP) Joseph Daul in Brussels, and he also attended on European people’s parties summit.
There were announcements that the Gruevski will also meet with German Chancellor and head of the sister party CDU Angela Merkel at the EPP Summit, but that meeting did not happen.
The meeting between Gruevski and Daul is the last bilateral meeting of the Prime Minister with a foreign senior official. Meanwhile, VMRO-DPMNE held three national gathering on which the Prime Minister addressed.
Some of these meetings which Gruevski realized after the announcement of the scandal “Puch” are associated with this issue, as, for example, the brief meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and President of EPP Joseph Daul. Therefore, since 31st of January to today, Macedonian Prime Minister had only one meeting with a prime minister (Aleksandar Vuchik) and two meetings with officials of foreign countries (Serbia, Croatia).
Scandal “Puch” obviously reduced the foreign policy agenda, and for almost two months, all events are associated with the internal political events.
