The Federal President travels to North Macedonia and Albania for four days. There, too, it is about the Ukraine war. But another central question is one that both countries have been waiting for an answer to for a long time.
Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has appealed to North Macedonia to consistently seek a path into the European Union and to implement reforms. “Resolutely continue along the path of the accession process. Don’t turn back at the last few meters,” said Steinmeier in front of the parliament in the capital Skopje.
He is aware that the path for the country of 1.8 million inhabitants will be anything but easy, “that trust and patience are strained in difficult negotiations and maybe sometimes even overstretched”.
Steinmeier is on the road in the Western Balkans for four days. On Thursday he travels to Albania. All six Western Balkan countries – including Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo – have been waiting for EU membership for almost 20 years. Accession negotiations for North Macedonia and Albania have been underway since July.
“Remarkable progress” on the way to the EU
Steinmeier was greeted with military honors by President Stevo Pendarovski at his official residence. After a conversation, he emphasized: “North Macedonia is part of the European family.” He praised “considerable progress” since the beginning of the accession process. Germany will continue to help with reforms.
Pendarovski stressed that Germany was one of the “best allies” and “key partners”. North Macedonia has been preparing for 17 years. “We are the best prepared candidate for membership.” The negotiations will be “managed in record time”.
necessary hurdle to change the constitution
Before that, however, there is a constitutional change that neighboring Bulgaria – long since in the EU – has forced through by blocking the accession negotiations until this summer. With this change, North Macedonia is supposed to recognize the – infinitesimally small – Bulgarian minority in the constitution, which, however, displeases the nationalist opposition. But votes from the opposition are needed for a two-thirds majority to change the constitution.
Steinmeier stressed before Parliament that it was about more than party politics and personal profiling. “Now is not the time to fall into simplistic formulas and nationalist overtones.” North Macedonia should not lose sight of its goal. At the same time, the Federal President called for reforms in politics, the judiciary and the economy. The population also benefits from this in everyday life. The country is “on a very good path”.
In fact, North Macedonia – a Yugoslav republic under the name of Macedonia until 1991 – is better positioned than Steinmeier’s second travel destination in terms of administration, justice and economy. In October, the EU Commission determined only an “average” level of preparation for Albania.
Source: Stern
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