Foreign Minister Nikola Poposki, Richard Howitt, Rapporteur on Macedonia at the European Parliament, and Robert Liddell, Minister Counselor at the EU Delegation in Skopje, addressed the debate titled “The European Union in the 21st Century: Enlargement with New Members as an Imperative on the European Agenda” organized by the Institute for Geo-Strategic Research and Foreign Policy that took place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday. Foreign Minister Poposki said at the debate that the enlargement of the EU with the Balkan countries had to continue because it was good for the countries from a security and economic point of view and also for the Union’s strategic goals and credibility. Although the EU faces challenges at the moment and the economic crisis threatens its enlargement policy, Minister Poposki believes the hardship will be overcome and the strategic interest of enlargement will prevail. Mr. Howitt also shared the view that postponing the enlargement process would be harmful. According to him, if Macedonia wishes to progress, it has to join the EU and if the Union wishes to enhance its foreign policy, it has to recognize the value of Macedonia and the other countries of the region. He also reiterated his position set out in his prior written statement issued after his meetings with representatives of all political parties that he deeply regretted that the current political situation risked jeopardizing future progress. “I hope people understand that the decisions of the European Commissioner last October to promote the idea of resolution of the name issue in the early stages after negotiations start rather than before, and the decision of the European Council to mandate an extra report and to commit to a positive response for a positive report, both represented major breakthroughs. Next year there will be European Elections and a new European Commission and no one should assume that the European Union itself will be able to move forward in the same way,” Mr. Howitt says in his statement. He further says in his written statement that a historic opportunity still exists for Macedonia at the June summit of the European Council yet what happens in Macedonia in the next few days could determine what happens in Brussels for some years. As for what happened in Parliament on 24 December, Mr. Howitt says he supports the proposal of setting up an inquiry committee but refuses to prejudge its outcome by ascribing blame at this point. What happened on 24 December, he says, questions fundamentally the democratic credibility of the country yet the European Parliament does not believe in election boycotts in this or any country. As for the freedom of media, Mr. Howitt said the removal of journalists from the parliamentary gallery was a separate matter of equally grave proportions which ended the dialogue that had previously been making progress and therefore he appealed for making effort to restore this dialogue. “In a few weeks I am due to present my own report on this country for vote in the European Parliament. Everyone here knows that, whilst I put forward constructive criticisms, my reports overall have always been favorable to the country's accession.
In the current circumstances I fear the report voted could become a negative one and, with a heavy heart, I have to tell you this morning that I am considering asking the European Parliament to postpone voting on my report, owing to the current circumstances in the country.
This would, I understand, be one more chance lost to influence the European Commission recommendation in April and the European Council decision that follows, and I am sorry if this becomes the case.
But my hope remains today that it will not be and that the political parties of the country find a way to put the interests of the country first,” his Friday statement reads.
Stefano Sannino, Director of the Directorate General for Enlargement of the European Commission, also visited Macedonia this week meeting party officials yet no official statement has yet been made about what they discussed, while EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule’s announced visit for next week, his second one since the outbreak of the political crisis, has been postponed. The Heads of the Missions of the European Union, the NATO Liaison Office, the OSCE and the United State of America issued a written statement Thursday in which they raised much concern about the political crisis. “We are following domestic political developments with increasing concern. Immediate steps are needed to resolve the current political impasse following the events of 24 December. We strongly urge all sides to enhance the political dialogue to that end, to focus on the country’s strategic priorities and to put the best interests of the country and its citizens first,” says the joint statement of the EU, NATO, the OSCE and the USA.
