EC screening process on Macedonia kicks off

A Macedonian delegation with representatives of many ministries and institutions is going to Brussels on September 27^th in order to have talks with the EC. Thus the so-called explanatory screening for Chapter 23 – justice and fundamental rights will be kicked off and it is the first of the 33 negotiation chapters of Macedonia with the EU. The process is expected to end up by June 2019 and then the EU accession negotiations to begin. That screening is an EC operation for preparation of membership negotiations with a certain applicant. Macedonia was the first Western Balkan state to sign a Stabilisation and Association Agreement back in 2001. In 2004 it applied for membership and in December 2005 the country acquired the status of an applicant.

Macedonia registers 12% growth in bilateral trade with Bulgaria

Macedonian PM Zoran Zaev stated in Bitola that the friendship policy with the neighboring states had been giving results. The premier gave Bulgaria as an example and the 12% growth in bilateral trade achieved after the signing of the friendship treaty between the two states, signed by PMs Boyko Borissov and Zoran Zaev on 1 August 2017. Mr. Zaev expects similar development to occur with Greece as well after the signing of the agreement on the name of his country.

EU rejects idea on opening Kosovo – Albanian border

Commenting a statement of Kosovo PM Ramush Haradinaj for opening of the border between Kosovo and Albania as of New Year, an EC spokesperson said that ‘at a moment when Presidents Vucic and Taci continue their work within the frames of the dialogue, any provocative statements or actions should be avoided.’ The spokesperson outlined the fact that Kosovo and Albania had committed themselves to decent management of borders and border checkpoints, fully complying with the requirements of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the EU.

Tirana supports dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina

Albania fully supports the ‘well-established dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo’, Albanian Foreign Minister Ditmir Bushati said. According to Tirana, this dialogue should normalize the relations between the two states, resulting in mutual recognition, the minister underlined and voiced to the public his expectation for the reaching of an internal consensus in Kosovo via this process. Bushati stated that he hadn’t even heard of the idea for territories’ exchange, fantasizing about Serbia receiving the northern part of Kosovo in exchange for the annexation of the Preševo Valley by the latter.

Greece to insist on German reparations for WWII crimes

Chair of Greek Parliament Nikos Voutsis voiced to media that a report was expected to be submitted within a couple of months into the national assembly for the reparations which Greece would insist on before Germany due to WWII crimes on its territory. At a ceremony honoring the memory of hundreds of Greeks executed by fascists back in 1944 in the Athens area, Voutsis pointed out that Greece had long delayed its justice demands, but that would all be overcome by the end of the year.

Compiled by: Stoimen Pavlov

English version: Zhivko Stanchev