‘Macedonians, Macedonian citizens, Macedonian integration’ instead of ‘citizens of FYROM, your citizens and your integration’, EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule said Tuesday at a joint press conference with President Gjorge Ivanov, thus confirming indirectly that the adjective ‘Macedonian’ will find its place in October’s report of the European Commission on the country’s progress towards the membership status.
Fule denied to give concrete response about whether the adjective ‘Macedonian’ in regard to the nation and language will be incorporated in the October’s report, saying that he heard everything that President Ivanov had to tell him on the matter.
“The two of us have focused on what is essential to be done for your country to get a date for opening of the EU accession talks, and for that to happen sooner not latter. There is no need for Ivanov to ask my support for Macedonia’s EU integration, I have been doing that because I believe in the EU enlargement, being certain that the accession of Macedonia into the EU will strengthen the process and bring benefit to all Macedonian citizens,” Fule said, pointing out that he doesn’t discuss the EC report in a period of its preparation.
This meeting takes place in a significant moment for Macedonia, Ivanov said.
“We are working and fulfilling the tasks under the High Level Accession Dialogue (HLAD), which has been producing results and contributing for the spirit of reforms to be felt throughout the country. On the basis of that, we hope for a positive progress report, hoping at the same time that the process of the Euro-Atlantic integration of our country will be unblocked. We know that decisions in this respect are being made by consensus, but we hope that the results we have achieved will make possible for a date to be finally set for start of our accession negotiations,” Ivanov said.
According to MIA’s correspondent from Brussels, Ivanov said that Fule commended Macedonia’s progress in many spheres, such as the implementation of the Framework Agreement, judicial reforms, freedom of speech in media etc.
Ivanov and I have discussed the recent developments in Macedonia, with the President giving me a full update, Fule said.
“I welcomed the efforts of the President and of the coalition partners to resolve the open questions and to find a way forward. I underlined that the government should move on and focus on the opportunities ahead. In particular, the government needs to deliver the key reform measures which are set out in its Roadmap, in the framework of the High Level Accession Dialogue. Action to further strengthen inter-ethnic relations is needed, on the basis of the full implementation of the Ohrid Framework Agreement. Freedom of expression should be strengthened through the decriminalisation of defamation. The electoral framework should be revised, in line with international and European standards,” Fule said.
Referring to the regional co-operation and good neighbourly relations, Fule said they were reminiscent part of the process of moving towards the EU.
“Maintaining good neighbourly relations, including a negotiated and mutually accepted solution to the name issue, under the auspices of the UN, is essential. Regarding the name issue between the country and Greece, I reiterated full support for bilateral meetings and exchanges as well as the UN process. President Ivanov informed me about the steps the government has taken in this regard,” the Enlargement Commissioner said.
Taking Bulgarian journalists’ question if the President is worried that the different interpretation of the common history may motivate Bulgaria to hinder Macedonia’s EU integration process, Ivanov said: The European Union is an idea that unites us in the future. Let’s put an end to looking in the past. We are joining the EU, so that we together with Bulgaria may apply the European standards, criteria, principles. Let’s leave the history to historians!”
Bulgaria is one of the countries that enjoys the benefits of the EU membership status, Fule said.
“I know that Bulgarian authorities will wish for the citizens of Macedonia to enjoy the same benefits,” Fule said.
