The position of EU Enlargement Commissioner Oliver Varhelji that it is possible for Albania to start EU membership negotiations soon, and Macedonia not, is not the position of the European Commission, officials in several European countries reacted, including Germany and Slovakia. German Foreign Minister Michael Roth and Slovak Foreign Minister Ivan Korczok announced that their countries are committed to Macedonia and Albania starting negotiations together in June.

- Germany supports the goal of the Portuguese EU Presidency to hold the first intergovernmental conference with Albania and Northern Macedonia in June. Both countries have delivered the required reforms, now the EU must deliver. Further delays undermine the EU's credibility and the stability of the region Roth wrote.

Korczok, meanwhile, believes the EU Council should lift Bulgaria's veto on Macedonia.

- A credible EU enlargement policy now means rejecting the veto in the Council, which should recognize the progress of Macedonia and Albania. It is too late to hold intergovernmental conferences with the two countries - Korchok wrote.

EU Commissioner Varhelji reiterated to Euronews yesterday that Brussels could start accession talks with Tirana if Skopje and Sofia do not find a mutually acceptable solution to the historic dispute.

Macedonia can also become a member of the United States

According to analyst Albert Musliu, the position of the European Commissioner is unprincipled and un-European, and Macedonia still has prospects to remain pro-Western, even if the possibility of EU membership fails.

- His unprincipledness is seen in the mention of the merit system as a condition for membership, because if it was the merit system in question, we should have been in negotiations a long time ago. The goal of the EU policy is for Macedonia and Albania not to be divided, for the two countries to progress together and to help both, and the whole performance of the commissioner was incorrect. We were harmed by a neighbor in the EU accession process, and that was not in his comment - says Musliu for "Free Press".

He adds that the EU is losing credibility in Macedonia, because our country has experienced a kind of catharsis in the past on the road to the Union with various agreements, and has not yet received anything.

- However, we should look with optimism and I believe that the EU will find the strength to solve the problem, so that both sides do not make concessions to unblock the process. And in Europe there are great countries, from the old members, which have two truths about the same historical event, so they live together and cooperate. Here in Macedonia, we do not have the same truth about the events of 2001, so Macedonians and Albanians live together and in solidarity. Solomon's solution is to allow a narrative that does not distort the positions of the two lands. For us, not all Western perspectives are lost. We can decide in a referendum that we will become the 52nd state of the United States, for example. We have options to stay in the West, and in addition, we are too small here to spoil the plans and interests of the great powers because of us - says Musliu for "Free Press".

The ambassadors are concerned about Varchelli's announcements

The Council of Ambassadors announced yesterday that they received the announcement of Commissioner Varhelji with special concern and astonishment and do not believe that the stated conditional position can be the position of the Union.

- Two years ago, some members of the Union spoke negatively about this issue and we do not believe that there are serious reasons for the EU to change its position. Progress towards full membership of a candidate country must not be held hostage by a member state's veto when it comes to bilateral unresolved issues. The realization of such a possible option will have negative implications for the country and the region, will increase the level of Euroscepticism and pessimism among the citizens and will unnecessarily prolong the path of RS Macedonia to full membership in the Union. - say from the Council.

The Council of Ambassadors called on EU Commissioner Varhelji and his home country, as well as the leaders of other member states, to make every effort this year to finally hold an intergovernmental conference and for Macedonia to start negotiations.

Two prominent journalists from Brussels wrote about Varchelji's inconsistent position with the Union yesterday.

"This is interesting. A senior EU official told me that Varchelli's statements were not an EC position. In particular, the source said that the Commission supports the rapid opening of accession negotiations with both Macedonia and Albania. wrote the Wall Street Journal correspondent, citing a senior EU official.

In a brief comment, the Politico portal claims that a senior EU official has explicitly denied Varchelji's statements.

"The fact that the EU is planning to separate Albania and Macedonia may be an attempt to put pressure on S Macedonia to reach an agreement with Bulgaria. "But it is unlikely that other officials will oppose the commissioner, and Bulgaria now does not even have a government!" wrote the editor in "Politico".

Varhelji told "Euronews" yesterday that if the stalemate in the case of S Macedonia continues, the possibility for Albania to continue on the European path alone will be considered.

- If we again encounter difficulties with S Macedonia, which means that we are not successful in convincing Bulgaria and S Macedonia for a mutually acceptable solution, then the question is whether we can move forward only with Albania. And we will have to consider that question Said Varhelji.