RECOMMENDATION WITH A FUTURE?
The EC has recommended accession negotiations again. Unlike the last recommendation of 2014, which had a comforting tone, this recommendation holds perspective. The report gives wind in the government sails first, for the reforms and second, solving the name dispute. The recommendation is strengthened with a positive assessment of the fulfilment of the Przino Agreement and the Urgent Reform Priorities. The position of the government towards the basic principles of the rule of law, the dialogue with stakeholders and opposition, as well as the steps taken towards separating the state from the party carry exceptionally positive assessments.
In this year’s Report ‘good progress’ is assessed in the chapters regarding political criteria – 23 and 24. ‘Some progress’ is noticed in 23 chapters, whereby the progress is 0 (zero) and the EC recommendations are not implemented in 8 chapters. This stagnation can be partially explained with the decreased capacities of the strongly politicized administration in the past period. The Government should intervene in this negative trend and undertake urgent measures to strengthen the alignment capacities with the Acquis and the coordination on European integration – including administrative, as well as the policy capacities. This is the next key priority if Macedonia has serious attempt to open the accession negotiations with the EU.
- RECOMMENDATION WITH A FUTURE? Analysis of the 2018 European Commission Report on the Republic of Macedonia [.pdf 226KB]
