Skopje, 17 July 2023 (MIA) – North Macedonia belongs in the EU family, the decision is in your hands, now the step has to be made, said the French Minister of State for Europe, Laurence Boone, at a joint press conference Monday with Deputy Prime Minister in charge of European affairs, Bojan Marichikj, and the other representatives of the Weimar Triangle – Minister of State for Europe and Climate in Germany's Federal Foreign Office Anna Lührmann, and Poland’s Minister for the European Union Szymon Szynkowski vel Sęk,

The French Minister noted that the discussion over the Constitution will not result in new demands from Bulgaria, but instead, she said, North Macedonia will then automatically reach its accession track. “There are no additional demands from any other country, but there are demands for a revision of the Constitution,” said Boone.

According to Boone, 2030 is a realistic target for North Macedonia’s EU accession. Her assessment is that the country has everything it needs to make progress and join the Union soon.

“I have three messages for you. The first is that North Macedonia belongs in the EU family. The second is that the decision now is in the hands of North Macedonia, and the third message is that now is the time for North Macedonia to take the step, due to the dynamic in the EU enlargement. Maybe another thing I want to say is that this discussion over the Constitution will not result in new demands from Bulgaria, North Macedonia will automatically find its accession track afterwards. So, there won’t be any additional demands from any other country. However, there are demands for the revision of the Constitution, and then North Macedonia will again automatically enter the next phase of the accession process,” said Boone.

She recalled the 1990s and the case with Poland’s accession.

“In the 1990s my predecessors wanted to help Poland with its EU accession, and now you can see how successful Poland is, and we believe that this is also possible for North Macedonia, as well. North Macedonia has absolutely everything it takes to make progress in the EU and join the EU soon, and this has benefits both for us and for you, such as new jobs, free movement, as well as the security and stability of the EU,” said Boone.

The French Minister touched upon the First Intergovernmental Conference in Brussels.

“A year ago, the First Intergovernmental Conference in Brussels was held, where I was glad to meet the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister for the first time, and there was a lot of enthusiasm, and we want to see such enthusiasm again, so we are here to express this and to express our support. The world has changed. The geopolitical tensions and the events in our continent make enlargement a necessity for the EU. There is a new enlargement methodology which will make enlargement more dynamic and, we hope, faster. I think this is important. And, regarding the deadline, I said this at the beginning and I will say it again clearly, we want it to be as soon as possible. The French President said in Bratislava that the issue of enlargement isn’t if, nor when, it is now and as soon as possible, but also how. Again, 2030 as a target is quite realistic, and we are here to send a message of friendship above all, a message of support and a message of assurance that we believe North Macedonia will succeed. The three countries, including France, believe that this is as important to the European family as it is to you, and we will give everything to help you on the path to the EU,” underlined Minister Boone.

Photo: MIA Archive