EC to present progress report on North Macedonia
Skopje, 12 October 2022 (MIA) – The European Commission is to adopt on Wednesday the enlargement package for the Western Balkans with reports on the reform progress in each of the countries, including North Macedonia.
This is the first EC report on the country after the accession negotiations were opened with the holding of the first intergovernmental conference with the EU in Brussels on July 19.
The European Commission’s draft-report to be unveiled on Wednesday, which was seen by Radio Free Europe (RFE), states that North Macedonia is moderately prepared in terms of almost all criteria. Good progress is mentioned only in terms of the economic criteria, while very good progress is noted in terms of the country’s alignment with the EU’s foreign and security policy.
Resolute efforts are needed to build dynamics for reforms and move forward in the EU negotiation process. Particular focus is needed to ensure effective implementation of current legislation, rather than launching ad hoc initiatives, the report reads among other.
According to the report, reforms have been made in terms of security services, but capacity for parliamentary oversight needs to be strengthened. It is also noted that adoption of the laws on administrative officers and the law on employees in the public sector is delayed.
The State Commission for the Prevention of Corruption was proactive in dealing with cases of nepotism, cronyism and political influence in the process of employment in the public sector and in the appointment of members of supervisory and management boards, adds the report.The judicial system has achieved a certain level of preparedness and is moderately prepared, and the country has also achieved a certain level of preparedness and is moderately prepared for the prevention and fight against corruption.
In addition, the report states that the country is moderately prepared in terms of freedom of expression, and reforms in the Macedonian Radio and Television are stalled due to delay in appointing members to the Program Council. Last week, Deputy PM for European Affairs Bojan Marichikj said no surprises are expected from the new EC report. He noted that the country always sees the reports as objective, and generally a positive EC report is expected. “We also have a strong argument in the area of the common foreign and security policy, because this year for the first time we have 100-percent alignment with all EU sanctions packages and with all decisions made in the area of the common foreign and security policy,” Marichikj told a press briefing alongside former Croatian chief negotiator with the EU, Vladimir Drobnjak. The explanatory screening is underway, while the bilateral screening with the EU will begin on November 7. Marichikj believes the bilateral screening will bring more intense dynamics and greater engagement, but dynamics for drafting the three key roadmaps, included in the negotiating framework, has also been agreed upon. Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski and the Head of the EU Delegation in Skopje, David Geer, concluded at a meeting last week that the screening process with the EU is going well. Support was voiced at the meeting for the next steps on North Macedonia’s EU integration path allowing uninterrupted course of the negotiating process, the government said in a press release. The opening of the chapters in the accession process will follow after Bulgarians are included in the country's Constitution, which was set by Sofia as a condition for the start of the negotiations.
