Macedonia's EU progress stalled over name dispute, missed benchmarks

08/09/2008

Macedonian Deputy Prime Minister Ivica Bocevski (left) and EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn speak with reporters after their meeting Thursday (September 4th). [EC]

(Reuters, MIA, Makfax - 05/09/08; AFP, DPA, MIA, Makfax, B92 - 04/09/08)

Macedonian Deputy Prime Minister Ivica Bocevski (left) and EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn speak with reporters after their meeting Thursday (September 4th). [EC]

Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski said on Sunday (September 7th) that his country cannot expect to receive a date to start EU accession talks until the name issue with Greece is settled.

"Although we have met the conditions required by Brussels, we cannot hope for a date this year," Gruevski told journalists in Skopje. He added that, if not for the impasse, the EU would have been ready in June to set a date. "This didn't happen only because of the dispute with Greece. According to what we have heard from Slovenian officials, the main reason is relations with Greece and its opposition to our candidacy," he said.

In Athens, meanwhile, Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis said he does not believe that the name dispute will be resolved soon, and he threatened again that Greece would block its neighbour's path if the issue is not resolved.

"Skopje's actions do not make me optimistic that a solution is possible for the time being," Karamanlis told reporters in Thessaloniki. He said Athens supports the European perspectives of Southeast European countries, including Macedonia, but warned that "Skopje will not be able to join the EU unless it changes its behaviour."

Macedonia was recognised in December 2005 as an official EU candidate, but the process has stalled since then. Last week, two senior government members went to Brussels to convince officials there that their country is ready to take the next big step.

They were told, however, that the country is not making sufficient progress in some of the eight benchmarks set by Brussels.

"Substantial further efforts are still needed before we can tick all the boxes," Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn told reporters following talks with Deputy Prime Minister Ivica Bocevski and Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki on Thursday. "These are essential conditions in creating a truly European society."

The benchmarks cover areas such as implementation of police laws, anti-corruption legislation, judicial and public administration reform, employment policy and improving the business climate.

Citing free and fair elections as a "ninth benchmark", Rehn noted shortcomings "in every election" since he took up his post four years ago, including the latest in June.

"I have urged the government to take the lead to ensure the proper functioning of democratic institutions and to enhance political dialogue," he said.

The EC will assess Macedonia's progress in those priority areas in its regular report in November.

Also Thursday, Bocevski and Milososki met with EC Vice President Jacques Barrot, with the visa liberalisation process topping the agenda. A visa-free regime will likely be introduced for Macedonian citizens travelling to the EU sometime next year, said Barrot, who also serves as the EU's commissioner for justice, freedom and security issues.

On Friday, Bocevski warned of potential risks his country could face if its EU and NATO membership bids continue to be blocked, especially in the wake of Russia's intervention in Georgia, which could encourage "marginal forces" in Macedonia.

According to a Reuters report, he told a seminar in Brussels that there were two possible scenarios for the Western Balkans following the crisis in the Caucasus -- a spread of pro-European ideas or a spread of uncertainty.

"We need the opening of the negotiations, we need to see this process started and we need to see this process moving," Bocevski stressed. "If the EU and NATO perspective is prolonged, cynicism can easily kick in."