Prime Minister Zoran Zaev is an optimist that the country will receive a positive decision from the European Council on the 17th and 18th of October and a date for starting the accession negotiations will be granted, informs MIA.
-I remain an optimist because all the arguments to receive a positive decision from the European Council are in our favor. I don’t want to think about whether a date will be approved. We have waited for 15 years and we have made big decisions, reforms and all of the agreements were 100 % implemented and we truly are an example for the whole region. The EU cannot allow itself to punish the best example because it is important for the EU, the region, the next motivation for the leaders that have to find solutions and to reform their societies. I believe we are walking in the right direction and that the EU’s decisions our expectations will be met said Zaev when he replied to a question posted at today’s press conference regarding the International day against poverty.
Regarding France, he said that this country isn’t against North Macedonia but it has a very legitimate intention for preparing a new accession methodology.
-This will provide an opportunity for all capacities to move more seriously and even stronger with a reversible method – if they fail to return them back. For eg. If the Third Chapter is about media freedom if one manages to close it in a period of one year or two, and while negotiating during the third or fourth-year one manages to violate that freedom, they are going to return from the beginning. That means that the countries that are negotiating should have sustainable achievements regarding the chapters, concluded policies that will mean permanen transformations of societies. That is the debate at the moment. It can be accomplished as we move forward and to be promoted methodologically and we can open the chapters and negotiate. This where I’m drawing my positive expectations because these are not in opposition and can only be complementary – stressed Zaev.
