Macedonia and the European Union

[Tomche Makedonche]

If you mean ethnic Macedonians, do you have poll numbers or any other objective evidence that suggest half of Macedonians support the Albanian platform?

Well if they don't oppose it, I can only assume they support it, or prioritise other matters above the implementation of the Tirana platform. As for my objective evidence, it is their silence.

[vicsinad]

Half of Macedonians are already going along with Zajko and the Albanian platform.

If you mean ethnic Macedonians, do you have poll numbers or any other objective evidence that suggest half of Macedonians support the Albanian platform?

[Tomche Makedonche]

That's one possibility. Or they are letting this "rumor" fester out in the open on purpose to entice Macedonians to go along with Zaev and the Albanian platform.

Half of Macedonians are already going along with Zajko and the Albanian platform.

[Gocka]

That's one possibility. Or they are letting this "rumor" fester out in the open on purpose to entice Macedonians to go along with Zaev and the Albanian platform. They do this kind of thing every time there is a decisive moment in the country relating to the Albanians. Think back to past referendums and how out of the blue some big announcement would happen the night before the vote.

Here is a clue.
There is no change of stance.
Nobody but Zaev is saying this.

[Risto the Great]

Why would they change their stance now when there is talk of instability within the country? Is the EU that irresponsible.

Here is a clue.
There is no change of stance.
Nobody but Zaev is saying this.

[Redsun]

What are EU membership requirements?

Perhaps applications are accepted when the EU considers it economically viable for itself.

If this report was correct, Why now? Why do they offer this now to SDSM and not VMRO? Bias.

Why would they change their stance now when there is talk of instability within the country? Is the EU that irresponsible.

[mklion]

The EU has been dangling the Euro carrot in Macedonias face since independence. I feel that they have no intention to have Macedonia in the EU. The issue here is Macedonia is stuck really. They can't become a member of the EU and Macedonia isn't allowed to deal with Russia or China for economic benefit as everytime we do we get in trouble (ie oil pipeline from Russia )

Just to put some perspective on things here Turkey submitted their application to become a member of the EU in 1987 which was 30 years ago and even they don't have a date for accession talks.

[Redsun]

EU should introduce sanctions to Macedonia’s President Ivanov

Opinion: EU should introduce sanctions to Macedonia’s President Ivanov

https://europeanwesternbalkans.com/2017/03/27/opinion-eu-should-introduce-sanctions-to-macedonias-president-ivanov/

SKOPJE - If the EU wants to be taken seriously and reclaim some of the lost credibility in the Western Balkans, it must make a tough and somewhat shocking move and introduce sanctions for Macedonia’s President Ivanov.

Sanctions are a tool for realizing the objectives set in the Common Foreign and Security Policy of the European Union. The Treaty on European Union defines the over-arching goals of the EU towards external actors, and “consolidate and support democracy” is pretty high on that list. Given the latest developments in Macedonia, there is absolutely no argument left that President Ivanov might not be wreaking havoc on the fragile democracy of the Republic of Macedonia.

After the elections last year in December, the President awarded the mandate to the party with the highest number of MPs, VMRO DPMNE. This is a common practice in Macedonia, even though the Constitution doesn’t strictly instruct for it. Instead, the Constitution stipulates that the President awards the mandate to the leader of the party that has a majority in Parliament. With VMRO DPMNE winning 51 seats and the Social Democrats 49 out of 120 seats, no one had a majority without the smaller parties.

VMRO DPMNE failed to secure a majority within the constitutional time limitations, and had to return the mandate. The President of the Social Democrats, Mr Zaev, went and asked President Ivanov for the mandate. President Ivanov told him to go and come back with the signatures of majority of MPs, and only then he would be awarded the mandate, a demand that was not made to VMRO DPMNE and that is nowhere to be found in the Constitution.

Zaev returned with 67 signatures (out of 120), and President Ivanov refused to give him the mandate. The excuse was the supposed acceptance of a political platform signed in Tirana by the smaller political parties with an ethnic Albanian denomination. However, even though these parties confirmed that Gruevski and VMRO DPMNE had accepted all the conditions of the Tirana platform well before the Social Democrats even discussed them, it never stopped President Ivanov from awarding the mandate to Gruevski.

So, after months of painful political limbo, Macedonia is without a government, with a series of protests orchestrated by VMRO DPMNE to supposedly “protect” Macedonia and with local elections right behind the corner. The hate speech has escalated to such a level that individual hate incidents take place almost on a daily basis. Journalists, professors, MPs are being virtually, verbally and even physically attacked. The last in a line of incidents is the attack on the driver of a Turkish diplomat who tried to stop the removal of a Turkish flag from the car. As always, the perpetrators of hate crimes make no sense at all.

President Ivanov has disrespected and intentionally disrupted one of the basic principles of democracy, the peaceful transfer of power. By doing this, he has acted in violation with the Constitution and has pushed the country to the brink of a serious security danger. The EU must act decisively and impose sanctions on his movement and freeze his personal funds.

There is a precedent for this. In 2011, the EU adopted a Decision for sanctions on any individuals who violate the Constitution or threaten the security situation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Decision had an expiry date in 2016, and was prolonged until 31st of March, 2017.

The crisis in Macedonia of the past two years has proven, over and over again that Macedonia’s institutions and system are not capable of fighting the cancerous cells. Even though the Constitution and laws are not officially suspended, they are breached by the President, the number one person in the country who is supposed to uphold them.

Imposing sanctions on Ivanov will not send a message to Macedonia only. There are dangerous tendencies brewing in the region, and the EU needs to set an example in Macedonia for everyone else.

Serbia is in the middle of an election where Prime Minister Vucic is one of the candidates for President. According to the Constitution of Serbia, the President proposes a candidate for President of the Government to the Assembly, after having heard the opinion of all those whose electoral lists were elected. If the EU doesn’t act decisively now and given Vucic’s growing influence on media, who can guarantee Serbia won’t repeat Macedonia’s scenario?

At the same time, the EU needs to retrieve its status of a player in the Western Balkans, after so many failures. The EU granted Macedonia recommendations for start of negotiations for years while VMRO DPMNE ruled and captured every single institution of the Republic. The EU failed to induce constitutional changes in Bosnia and Herzegovina, despite the decision of the European Court for Human Rights and the empty ultimatums by the EU. If the EU wants to continue to have a say in the Western Balkans, it needs to step up its game.

Finally, as a Macedonian, this is one of the morally most-difficult arguments I’ve had to make. Arguing for international sanctions on your President is anything but a straight case. But, what is true for individuals, can be applied to countries as well. If we love them, we must help them fight the disease, even when the medication is painful.

President Ivanov is a disease to democracy in Macedonia.

[Risto the Great]

Sure, why not.
Sounds totally plausible and we can definitely rely on the integrity of all concerned. And pigs play the tapani.

[Tomche Makedonche]

Brussels ‘secretly promises’ to quickly begin EU membership talks with Macedonia

http://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/784389/European-Union-EU-chiefs-secretly-promise-Macedonia-accession-talks

REVEALED: Brussels ‘secretly promises’ to quickly begin EU membership talks with Macedonia

SENIOR eurocrats have secretly promised the leader of Macedonia’s opposition party that they will soon open talks on the country joining the EU, it emerged today

Brussels foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini told Zoran Zaev that the bloc will start accession proceedings swiftly if he manages to take power in the coming days.

She is the second top EU Commission figure to have made the assurance to the social democrat chief, despite the fact that only the heads of the 28 member states have the power to begin negotiations.

Mr Zaev has formed a majority coalition in the Macedonian parliament following recent elections, but has been unable to take power because president Gjorge Ivanov has vetoed it taking government.

The president, who is from the same party as ousted former prime minister Nikola Gruevsk, claims that the inclusion of MPs from an ethnic Albanian party makes the coalition a threat to the country’s sovereingty.

But Mr Zaev has dismissed the claims as “nonsense” and says the real reason the pair are clinging to power is to save themselves from criminal prosecution over their action in government.

Italian eurocrat Ms Mogherini visited Macedonia last Thursday, and Mr Zaev last night revealed she had “promised” him she would start EU membership talks if he can break the impasse.

During a speech whilst in the country, she said: “It would be impossible for anyone to convince anyone in the democratic world that a majority of MPs that represent the majority of citizens in a unitary state cannot be allowed to form a government.

"This breaks the spirit of democracy. This is inconsistent with basic democratic principles and with the Euro-Atlantic integration process.”

In contrast the current Macedonian government is being openly backed by Vladimir Putin, with the Kremlin accusing the EU of meddling in other countries’ politics.

EU Commission officials were today tight-lipped on Mr Zaev’s remarks, insisting that they would not comment on the private remarks of their officials.

Answering a question from a Macedonian journalist, spokeswoman Maja Kocijančič said: “The Commission recommendation to open negotiations with your country is conditional on the country’s implementing the provisional agreement and urgent reform priorities.

“Opening of accession negotiations when these conditions are met is a decision for the Council.”

Brussels has set its sights on bringing the entire Western Balkans region into the EU club, including Serbia, Albania, Macedonia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

However, EU chief Jean-Claude Juncker has insisted that none of the candidate states will join the bloc before his mandate as Commission president ends in 2019.

On top of that, all 28 current member states each wield an all-powerful veto over any future admissions to the bloc.

[Redsun]

Having the presence of two Gas companies within Europe creates competition that will lower prices and give a choice to the customers.

Brussels what is it exactly? Why are you concerned... for your own interest.

Want to trade?

What have you got to offer us... nothing?

What positive action can this rubbish talk from Brussels create?

Brussels has not explained how we will benefit from not cooperating with the construction of South Stream.

[George S.]

I call Brussel sprouts as they spring up now and then.Why pressure someone to join when all they be doing is pushing the self destruct button.

[Nikolaj]

The EU is the enemy of Macedonia. How is this not clear by now.

Haven't seen you post in a while Constellation, wb.

[Volokin]

Can't Macedonia choose to do whatever the fuck it wants?

[Constellation]

The EU is the enemy of Macedonia. How is this not clear by now.