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Costa: We must work for North Macedonia to meet the precondition for the formal opening of the negotiations

by AI | 17.Dec 2024 | Europe in brief AI

Of course, it is necessary to respect what North Macedonia has achieved and I think it is very important to achieve strengthening of trust between North Macedonia and its neighbors, especially Bulgaria. We must work to ensure that North Macedonia fully meets its obligations, which are a prerequisite for North Macedonia to formally open negotiations. I have great respect for the efforts North Macedonia has made in the past to overcome obstacles, especially with Greece. This is a country that even changed its name to overcome these obstacles, Costa stressed in response to a question from MIA.

Antonio Costa, President of the Council of the EU. Photo: Council of the EU

Brussels – We must work to fully meet the obligations of North Macedonia, which are prerequisites for it to formally open accession negotiations, and the sooner reforms are implemented and all criteria met, the sooner we will conclude the enlargement process and each of the Western Balkan partners will enter the European Union, said today the President of the EU Council, Antonio Costa, in an interview with a group of journalists from the Western Balkans, including the MIA correspondent from Brussels. 

– Of course, it is necessary to respect what North Macedonia has achieved, and I think it is very important to strengthen trust between North Macedonia and its neighbors, especially Bulgaria. We must work to ensure that North Macedonia fully meets its obligations, which are prerequisites for North Macedonia to formally open negotiations. I have great respect for the efforts that North Macedonia has made in the past to overcome obstacles, especially with Greece. This is a country that even changed its name to overcome these obstacles, Costa emphasized in response to a question from MIA. 

Regarding the deadline set by his predecessor Charles Michel, who set 2030 as the target for the admission of new members to the EU, Costa said that as he emphasized in his inaugural speech when taking office at the end of last month, he does not believe in “artificial calendars.” 

– The most important thing is for all of us to realize that we have little time and that we feel the sense of urgency. With each passing day, it will be harder for the people of the Western Balkans to believe that, in fact, one day, we will complete this process (of accession), Costa said. 

He added that he cannot say whether it will happen in one, three, or four years, but the focus must be placed on what needs to be done based on that sense of urgency. 

– The sooner we manage to complete the reforms, the sooner we will be able to meet all the criteria, and the sooner we will complete this process, and each partner from the Western Balkans will enter the European Union. The sooner this happens, the sooner we will have a safer, more secure, and more prosperous Europe, Costa added. (December 16)