Gere: We want the start of negotiations with Macedonia and Albania as soon as possible

David Gere / Photo Free Press / Dragan Mitreski

We want the start of negotiations with Northern Macedonia and Albania as soon as possible and we encourage all efforts to achieve this goal, said today in Skopje the Ambassador and Head of the Delegation of the European Union in the country David Gere.

EU Ambassador Gere, in a statement to the media before the opening of the panel discussion in the framework of the celebration of Europe Day May 9, said that he did not want to enter the debate with deadlines, but said that maximum efforts should be made to achieve the goal of opening negotiations as soon as possible.

"We are absolutely determined to move forward, we know it is in the strategic interest of the EU and the Western Balkan countries for these countries to join the Union and we expect the process to continue and see Northern Macedonia in the EU as soon as possible," he said. Gear.

Asked if the new proposal by French President Emmanuel Macron was a substitute for a possible failure of the enlargement process, Gere said Macron and European Council President Charles Michel were clear.

- The accession processes for the countries of the Western Balkans remain the main driving force. There are no changes to the enlargement process and the only way is enlargement to the Western Balkans. It is an absolute priority and a path based on reforms. "Therefore, I do not see this as affecting the path to full EU membership," Gere said.

German Ambassador Anke Holstein said that the countries in the region belong to the EU.

- The German Chancellor in a government declaration said this morning that the countries of the Western Balkans region belong to the EU. That is the message the region needs. He also added that the geopolitical situation is more urgent than ever and this is a strategic goal for Germany as well. The German government remains committed, Holstein said.

At the panel discussion, organized by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, the European Movement in the Republic of Northern Macedonia and the Wilfred Martens Center for European Studies in Brussels, Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs Bojan Maricic addressed the President of the National Council for European Integration Aleksandar Nikoloski. to the Deputy Chairman of the Committee on European Affairs Arta Biljali-Zendeli, as well as to the member of the Committee on European Affairs Monika Zajkova.

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