Brussels, 7 November 2024 (MIA) - Bilateral issues cannot remain as permanent obstacles on the path to Brussels, and we will do everything to not import bilateral issues in the process of enlargement, said the Commissioner-designate for enlargement, Marta Kos at her confirmation hearing on Thursday in front of the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET).

“We expect that candidate country North Macedonia will change the constitution as promised, nothing more and nothing less,” said Kos in answer to a question by Stanislav Stoyanov, an MEP from the Bulgarian nationalist and pro-Russian party Revival, who asked about “North Macedonia’s attempts to postpone or limit the adoption of the constitutional amendments”.

Kos underscored that the constitutional amendments are an obligation for the country that was also mentioned in the 2024 Progress Report, adding that the rule of law, human rights and the right of belonging of minorities must be respected in the EU accession process.

Quizzed by Stoyanov on how she intends to protect the interests of the EU member states as part of her commitments to expeditiously solve the disputes between candidate states and member states, Commissioner-designate Kos said the interests of member states would come first, but she would work with her colleagues to avoid importing bilateral disputes in the enlargement process.

“But we have a situation like in your country where this is now a part of this, and once we have the negotiation process, we have many more tools to help the candidate countries and, on the other side, the member states to find the solution. So, there is no other way, and I cannot set the date, how quick or how long the development should be. We should resolve the disputes on the grounds of our values. Helping the member states and helping the candidate countries will be a very important part of my work, if confirmed,” Kos said.

In her introductory address Kos stressed that the enlargement process is a marathon, and not a sprint, adding that it must remain founded on the principle of individual merit. 

Photo: European Parliament