Skopje, 17 November 2025 (MIA) - The chair of the National Council for European Integration and SDSM leader Venko Filipche at a joint session Monday of the Council and the parliamentary Committee on European Affairs assessing the latest European Commission Progress Report for North Macedonia, criticized the state of reforms and the country’s European path, stressing that the country is at a standstill and the government lacks the political will to implement the essential reforms.

“This report clearly states there are no reforms, we are losing time. This is one of the worst reports the country has ever received. The only worse report is the one from 2015 that described us as a captured state,” Filipche said.

The opposition leader said there hasn’t been any progress in key areas and that the country risks facing new conditions for the opening of negotiations.

“There is no progress in key areas. From here we can see this government does not have the political will to implement reforms, I am sorry to hear today that this period is not the right time for reforms. If until last year there was only one condition, after a report like this, I’m not sure we won’t face additional conditions going forward,” Filipche added. 

Filipche highlighted the European Commission’s remarks on the judiciary, fight against corruption, media reforms, economy, and education. Areas in which, he said, there has been no progress or even regression.

“The trends aren’t any different now either. The government is trying to hide and influence all independent institutions outside the executive branch. This is most evident and most fierce when it comes to the judiciary – there is public and clear pressure which, for the first time since 1991, resulted in a clear response from the judges,” Filipche said.

The SDSM leader said the Commission’s remarks point to serious weaknesses in economic governance and the non-implementation of necessary reforms.

“In this area, the European Commission has determined that the government has made no progress in key reforms related to economic criteria. It is behind on plans for fiscal consolidation and has postponed all plans for implementing the Organic Budget Law, which was supposed to begin in 2025,” Filipche stressed.

At the session, Filipche pointed out that the government has shown no interest in the latest tranche of macro-financial support from the EU, which is tied to implementing necessary reforms and represents non-refundable financial aid.

Photo: MIA