I will it will be a pity for the country and for the citizens of Macedonia if the Government does not take advantage of the opportunity that has been created now around the joining of The European Union. Qproblemot is not only in the inclusion of Bulgarians in the Constitution, but also in the unfulfilled reformska agenda, pointed out in an interview for “Euronews” in Bulgarian, the reporter for Makisdonia in the European Parliament, Thomas Weitz. He added that he is not currently watching no progress and no reforms in the country and emphasizes that is lost for a whole year.
“Co final year in Severna MakedFrnia there is no progress, no reforms, and it is not only about the beginning of negotiations, but also about the reform agenda, about the Growth Plan. If the country does not implement the necessary reforms, 47 million euros will not go to it, but to neighboring countries,” Weitz said.
Weitz reiterated that EU membership negotiations cannot continue without the constitutional amendments and rejected the possibility of renegotiation of the Negotiating Framework.
“The protection of minorities and the right to self-determination as well as cultural expression are part of the main European values. This is a prerequisite. These are the Copenhagen criteria. Every country that applies for accession must meet these requirements and this will not change. So, not only from my point of view, the issue is not subject to negotiation, but I hear this from the Council and the Commission as well. This is something that the country should do. Bring additional minorities into the constitution and “guarantees the right to self-determination and cultural expression. This is a requirement of the European Union. Otherwise, we will not start negotiations.” emphasizes Weitz.
Speaking about the most important reforms for accession to the European Union, he he listed the reforms in the area of the rule of law, the fight against corruption, the provision of an independent judiciary that ensures justice for citizens, but also for businesses, as well as for the development of the country.
“Without the European Union, if you don’t have a proper rule of law status, you won’t attract foreign investors. So this is a key issue. And yes, corruption is a cancer in our societies and also in the European Union. And in my country we are still fighting corruption. The question is whether we have institutions, whether we have legislation, whether we have authorities that are capable and willing and have the political space to act to fight corruption or not. And we still need to see improvement in this direction by of North Macedonia and the Government of North Macedonia. This is clearly stated in the report,” said Vajc.
According to Weitz, the Government’s announcement that there will be no elections next year and that it is ready to speed up its efforts regarding reforms is positive.
“The difference between Macedonia and Albania follows the principle of merit. Albania is progressing very quickly, especially when it comes to legislation. In terms of its implementation in practice, we still need to see more on the ground. We should not stop one side because the other is not progressing. I also hope that the accession of Albania or the high chances of Albania joining will also give a boost to the political scene in North Macedonia. I see this in the people. Since the demarcation has started, the support for the European Union in the North “Macedonia is growing and I hope that the government will listen to its citizens. This is what people want, not so much because of a political or ideological argument, but mainly because of the rule of law, security, as well as economic development, issues of everyday life,” said Weitz.
To the question when North Macedonia can actually join the European Union, Weitz pointed out that it is necessary for the country to seriously commit to reforms in order to have a chance to join the club of Albania and Montenegro.
“If North Macedonia is seriously committed to reforms, and considering that the country has been a candidate for more than 25 years, it has already taken some steps that other countries have not yet taken, such as Bosnia or Serbia. So, if it is really committed to serious reforms, it would still have some chance to join the club of Albania and Montenegro to join in this term of the European Parliament. Unfortunately, so far I do not see the necessary reforms being undertaken. At this moment, I do not see the political will on the part of the government to be serious, especially when it comes to the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary. The whole year is lost. I am here to help the region move forward.” emphasized Weitz.
Warnings from Weitz follow after he isCommissioner for Extension Marta Kos last week sent a letter to the leaders of the countries of the Western Balkans, in which he warns that the region could lose a total of up to 750 million euros from the Growth Plan if the reforms are not accelerated.
The growth plan envisages a total of six billion euros for the states after the implementation of certain reforms, with a review of progress every six months. If a country does not fulfill the reform within the stipulated period, it receives a grace period of one year before the money is irretrievably lost. Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro sent their reform agendas on time and were supposed to adopt them by June 2025, which means that the grace period for the funds related to those reforms expires next June.
