German president urges North Macedonia to adopt constitutional amendments needed for EU accession progress

German president urges North Macedonia to adopt constitutional amendments needed for EU accession progress
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said Berlin wants North Macedonia to join the WU as soon as possible. / vlada.mk
By Valentina Dimitrievska in Skopje November 29, 2022

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said on November 29 in Skopje that Germany wants to see North Macedonia in the European Union as soon as possible and he urged MPs to adopt the constitutional changes rejected by the opposition as a crucial step toward the EU integration process.

Steinmeier arrived in Skopje for a two-day visit to support the EU integration process of the country. During the first day of the visit, the German president met his peer Stevo Pendarovski, PM Dimitar Kovacevski and other officials.

In July 2022, North Macedonia accepted a bilateral protocol with Bulgaria, which opened the way to start the long-awaited EU accession talks. Before that Sofia vetoed the start of North Macedonia's EU accession process due to language, cultural and history issues. However, the country needs to make constitutional changes and include ethnic Bulgarians, which make up less than 0.2% of the total population, in the constitution as a pre-condition for the second intergovernmental conference. The opposition is against these changes.

“I am aware that the path to EU membership is anything but easy, that trust and patience are strained in arduous negotiations, sometimes perhaps strained too far," Steinmeier said in his address to the parliament, urging MPs and the people to continue resolutely on the path towards EU accession.

He underlined that the constitutional amendment is about more than point-scoring in domestic political debates.

“Now is not the time to lapse into simplistic slogans and nationalistic sentiments. Do not lose sight of the goal that you have pursued for so long, of the EU accession that you have sought for seventeen years now,” the president said, according to the statement released by his office.

“I am certain that the path to Europe is worth even the next, challenging step!” he said.

Steinmeier also noted that determination to implement reforms is crucial to preserve democracy and European values.

Germany is the largest economic partner of North Macedonia, with about 45% of its total exports destined for Germany.

Following the visit to Skopje, Steinmeier will pay a visit to Albania, which also started EU accession talks in July.

Read in IntelliNews Pro
Get IntelliNews Pro

Related Content

COP28: North Macedonia launches just energy transition platform to mobilise €3bn

Experts argue EU’s New Growth Plan is too small to make a difference

North Macedonia says OSCE 'saved' at Skopje summit

News

Arkadag, Turkmenistan’s “Man City”, blitz league in debut season

Backed by the regime, new club signed most of their rivals’ best players and won all of their matches in march to title helped along by some most fortunate refereeing.

Moscow sees most snowfall in one day since records began

Moscow experienced an unprecedented snowfall on December 3, setting a record as the heaviest in the city's 145-year history of weather observations.

Zelenskiy video appeal to Congress for more help cancelled as Republicans present Biden with funding ultimatum

An appeal Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had been due to make to the US congress for more money via video link on December 5 was cancelled at the last minute as the Speaker of the House issued an ultimatum to US President Joe Biden

Western brands’ adverts fund Russian disinformation in Southeast Europe

Disinformation poses threats to stability and democracy and contributes to tensions and violence in the multi-ethnic communities of Bosnia and Kosovo, says report by Balkan Free Media Initiative and CRTA.

Hungarian economists say CPI figures are distorted by change in methodology

Economists suspect figures are being massaged to improve economic picture.

Arkadag, Turkmenistan’s “Man City”, blitz league in debut season
27 minutes ago
Moscow sees most snowfall in one day since records began
9 hours ago
Zelenskiy video appeal to Congress for more help cancelled as Republicans present Biden with funding ultimatum
11 hours ago
Western brands’ adverts fund Russian disinformation in Southeast Europe
11 hours ago
Hungarian economists say CPI figures are distorted by change in methodology
11 hours ago

Follow Us On

Most Read

  1. Top Ukrainian politician David Arakhamia gives seventh confirmation of Russia-Ukraine peace deal agreed in March 2022
    10 days ago
  2. Armenia marks new era with French military purchases
    8 days ago
  3. LONG READ: The boomerang effect: sanctions hurt Europe more than Russia
    5 days ago
  4. Putin's approval rating up to 85% in November, Russians happy with the country's direction
    2 days ago
  5. Oil continues to flow to Israel via Turkey despite Erdogan’s vehement speeches on plight of Gaza
    1 month ago
  1. Oil continues to flow to Israel via Turkey despite Erdogan’s vehement speeches on plight of Gaza
    1 month ago
  2. Top Ukrainian politician David Arakhamia gives seventh confirmation of Russia-Ukraine peace deal agreed in March 2022
    10 days ago
  3. Russia overtakes Germany to become fifth biggest economy in the world in GDP on a PPP basis
    3 months ago
  4. Armenia marks new era with French military purchases
    8 days ago
  5. Lavrov confirms Ukraine war peace deal reached last April, but then abandoned
    2 months ago

Reports

SELECT `n`.`nid` AS `id`, `n`.`title`, 'bne IntelliNews' AS authors, 'bne IntelliNews' AS bylines, `wc`.`field_website_callout_value` AS `summary`, `smc`.`field_social_media_callout_value` AS `social`, `pd`.`published_at` AS `date`, `p`.`field_publication__tid` AS `publication_id`, `fm`.`uri` AS `image`, `fspcaption`.`field_story_photo_caption_value` AS `image_credit`, `fspcredit`.`field_story_photo_credit_value` AS `image_author`, `ws`.`field_website_sections_tid` AS `section_id`, `fdfs`.`field_subject_tid` AS `subject_id`, `db`.`body_value` AS `body`, `fm2`.`uri` AS `pdf`, `et`.`field_enable_tracking_value` AS `tracking`, `ht`.`field_head_tags_value` AS `headTags`, `bt`.`field_body_tags_value` AS `bodyTags` FROM `node` AS `n` LEFT JOIN `field_data_field_website_callout` AS `wc` ON wc.entity_id = n.nid LEFT JOIN `field_data_field_social_media_callout` AS `smc` ON smc.entity_id = n.nid LEFT JOIN `publication_date` AS `pd` ON pd.nid = n.nid LEFT JOIN `field_data_field_publication_` AS `p` ON p.entity_id = n.nid LEFT JOIN `field_data_field_story_picture` AS `sp` ON sp.entity_id = n.nid LEFT JOIN `file_managed` AS `fm` ON fm.fid = sp.field_story_picture_fid LEFT JOIN `field_data_field_story_photo_caption` AS `fspcaption` ON fspcaption.entity_id = n.nid LEFT JOIN `field_data_field_story_photo_credit` AS `fspcredit` ON fspcredit.entity_id = n.nid LEFT JOIN `workflow_node` AS `wn` ON wn.nid = n.nid LEFT JOIN `field_data_field_website_sections` AS `ws` ON ws.entity_id = n.nid LEFT JOIN `field_data_field_subject` AS `fdfs` ON fdfs.entity_id = n.nid LEFT JOIN `field_data_body` AS `db` ON db.entity_id = n.nid LEFT JOIN `field_data_field_file` AS `ff` ON ff.entity_id = n.nid LEFT JOIN `file_managed` AS `fm2` ON fm2.fid = ff.field_file_fid LEFT JOIN `field_data_field_enable_tracking` AS `et` ON et.entity_id = n.nid LEFT JOIN `field_data_field_head_tags` AS `ht` ON ht.entity_id = n.nid LEFT JOIN `field_data_field_body_tags` AS `bt` ON bt.entity_id = n.nid WHERE (n.status = 1) AND (n.type = 'article') AND (n.nid = 263828) AND (wn.sid= 3) AND (p.field_publication__tid IN (2465,2851,3184,3159,3266,3264,3270,3265,3267,3268,3269,3171,3168,3185,3170,1346,1345,3180,3175,3254,3249,1207,1208,3181,3231,3177,3186,3178,1003,3187,2975,3204,3198,3188,3202,3196,3250,3189,3160,3161,3312,3313,3173,3314,3315,3167,3259,3257,3263,3258,3260,3261,3262,3174,3316,3165,3192,3163,3282,3190,2811,3256,3317,3162,3318,3191,3297,3182,3179,3166,3319,3376,3320,3172,3255,3169,1008,3203,3197,3321,3252,3164,1307,3322,3183,3220,3176,3201,3323,1327,1020,1006,1009,1013,1014,1018,1005,1328,1010,1011,1002,1012,1311,1330,1017,1016,1019,1004,1001,1334,1335,1336,1015,1337,1338,1339,1340,1341,2496,2501,2517,2529,2506,2505,2524,2513,2526,2537,2489,2490,2520,2536,2488,2532,2500,2515,2503,2493,2527,2523,2510,2525,2498,2499,2528,2507,2487,2511,2521,2502,2491,2519,2497,2492,2514,2495,2509,2512,1629,3358)) LIMIT 1
Dismiss