Macedonia is not prepared to receive a date for start of the negotiations for membership in the EU because it did not fulfil the eight benchmarks or the additional ninth criterion, which pertains to the elections, EU Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn said yesterday. This statement comes just two weeks before the European Commission releases its final report on Macedonia’s progress, which should be released on 5 November. The ruling and opposition parties expressed different views as regards this statement of the EU special envoy yesterday.
“No one in Macedonia has the right to give up on the request for a date for start of the negotiations for membership of Macedonia in the European Union. The EU integration process in Macedonia will continue more intensely after 5 November, the day when we will officially receive the report on our country’s progress,” Ivica Bocevski, deputy prime minister in charge of EU integration, said on Monday.
Macedonia is not prepared to receive a date for start of the negotiations for membership in the EU because it did not fulfil the eight benchmarks or the additional ninth criterion, which pertains to the elections, EU Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn said yesterday. This statement comes just two weeks before the European Commission releases its final report on Macedonia’s progress, which should be released on 5 November. The ruling and opposition parties expressed different views as regards this statement of the EU special envoy yesterday.
