Skopje, 12 December 2023 (MIA) – Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski said Tuesday he hopes North Macedonia won’t repeat its mistake from the past – waiting 17 years for a date for negotiations, due to “indecisiveness and the personal political calculations of a single man or a part of a political party”.

Asked about his expectations from the EU – Western Balkans Summit in Brussels, and whether Albania will continue without North Macedonia, the PM said he expects the Summit to recognize what the country has done in terms of the screening, which was completed last week.

“First of all, I expect what North Macedonia has done in terms of the screening to be recognized, i.e. the fact that we had an exceptionally successful screening which we completed last week together with Deputy Prime Minister Bojan Marichikj with the last chapters. The EU reports have already been delivered, and they state that North Macedonia has 50 percent alignment with the EU legislation. I want to once again thank the Secretariat for European Affairs, as well as all other institutions, non-governmental organizations, academic, economic chambers that participated in over 100 meetings… They really presented the country at a level that befits a NATO member state and a country that has launched negotiations with the EU. As I’ve said before, and as the EU’s high representatives have said as well, it is up to us now. We have a decision that we have to make in Parliament that the opening of chapters and EU membership depend on,” said Kovachevski.

The PM said he hopes the country won’t continue to wait once again.

“I hope North Macedonia won’t repeat its past mistake – to wait for a date for negotiations for 17 years, to make no progress in negotiations with NATO and EU for 11 years… to continue to wait due to the indecisiveness and the personal political calculations of a single man or a part of a political party. And that’s why I believe that we have to do this as a country,” said Kovachevski.

Photo: MIA