Skopje, 22 July 2023 (MIA) – North Macedonia finds itself in a key momentum regarding its EU perspective. It is not our task to tell you what to do. Our task is to share the perspective that it is time to use the window of opportunity you have now because next year it will be more complicated. Next year, the EU will probably concentrate more on itself in the context of institutional changes, Poland’s Minister for the European Union, Szymon Szynkowski vel Sęk, said in a conversation with MIA alongside his colleagues from Germany and France, Anna Lührmann and Laurence Boone.

"It is important to underline, and this is why we are also here with my colleagues from Germany and France, that North Macedonia finds itself in a key momentum regarding its EU perspective. The first thing is the Russian aggression in Ukraine. Of course, it meant suffering for the Ukrainian nation but on the other hand, it opened a new political view on many things. I will just mention that North Macedonia joined NATO but also Finland joined NATO, which also meant a new perspective to the NATO enlargement. It meant also a new perspective for the EU enlargement because Ukraine and Moldova were granted EU candidate status. This is the first perspective. The second perspective is the next year’s elections for the European Parliament and the institutional changes within the EU, including the establishment of a new European Commission, which means that in the upcoming months we have a window of opportunity. Next year, EU will probably concentrate more on itself in the context of institutional changes. These weeks, these months represent an opportunity that North Macedonia should use to make some steps towards EU integration and we are here to support these steps," Szynkowski pointed out.

Asked whether the security aspect that the enlargement process gained after the war in Ukraine could shorten the EU accession procedures and speed up the process of reforms in the decision-making within the Union itself, the Polish Minister noted that the security dimension of the enlargement process has always been part of the EU's concept itself, and it is maybe even more actual now. 

"The security dimension of the enlargement process was always present because the European Union is a peace project, established by Schuman and Monnet, and it is maybe even more actual now from this perspective because we have a war in Europe. We see what Poland has seen before and told about this threat from the side of the Russian Federation, and I think this perspective is now more visible for other EU member states and this is a possibility to boost the enlargement procedure. So in this context I think that the presence in NATO of our three countries and also of North Macedonia, and the presence in the EU of our three countries and the future presence of North Macedonia should be complementary," Poland’s Minister for the European Union stressed.     

According to him, EU possibilities to strengthen defence capabilities are also crucial in that context, but defence capabilities means not only capabilities in terms of the military capabilities for defense but also for example energy independence, which is very important. 

"I think it is also a challenge for the future EU enlargement and is also a chance for North Macedonia and other EU candidate-countries to become more capable to defend themselves also in the term of economic deterrence," said Szynkowski. 

Commenting on how can support for the EU in the country and the credibility of the Euro-integration process be rebuilt after all the blockades and delays over the years, Poland's Minister raised three points - that North Macedonia can count on Poland's consequent support, not only in symbolic or political terms but also in terms of concrete projects; that the EU also has to fulfill its promises and obligations better in the future, as well as that the decision on the European path is in the country's hands. 

"The first one is the perspective of our presidency, you mentioned our presidency and the preparations. It is true that one of the four priorities of our presidency will be enlargement policy and this means that you can count on our consequent support on your European path, and not only in symbolic or political terms but also in terms of concrete projects. We raised a sum which is now given for development projects in North Macedonia and we started some other projects that support local communities, we have a border guard supporting you to secure your borders, so we want not only to support you in an equitable way, but also in a more concrete way on your European path. This is a consequence of the second point I want to raise. As with our constant support in the past for your candidature, I can say that I understand the disappointment here in North Macedonia because EU also has to do its homework and fulfill its promises and obligations better in the future. This is also a matter of EU’s credibility and I can promise you, and I am sure that my colleagues will also share the same point of view, is the ambition to rebuild EU’s credibility in the process of the enlargement policy," Minister Szynkowski said.  

He underlined that the decision that should be taken now here in North Macedonia is a sovereign decision of North Macedonia’s politicians.

"The third point is the decision that should be taken now here in North Macedonia. It’s a sovereign decision of North Macedonia’s politicians and that is something that I wanted to underline. It is not our task to tell you what to do. Our task is to share the perspective that it is time to use the window of opportunity you have now because next year it will be more complicated, so now you need to take further steps and in autumn to make some progress, but of course that is a sovereign decision of North Macedonia," said Poland’s Minister for the European Union, Szymon Szynkowski vel Sęk.

Violeta Gerov

Photo: Frosina Naskovikj

Video and editing: Boris Kunoski, Asllan Vishko and Srgjan Krstikj