Stefan Fuele who is visiting FYROM for the third time this year, after the country plunged in to a political crisis that nearly derailed its EU agenda, was blunt to legislators on FYROM’s Euro-Integration Council.
“As time passes by, despite the great effort put forward, I do not have a feeling that the image of your country has been improved in the eyes of Brussels and in the capitals of the EU member states,” he told them in Skopje on Tuesday.
Fuele said this after legislators from the government and opposition started a loud quarrel in front of him, blaming each other for delays in the EU agenda.
“The [European Commission April 16] report is still not finished, and you have just made a contribution”, he noted.
He also asked the politicians whether improving political dialogue, freedom of speech or meeting the Copenhagen criteria were truly important to them.
Regarding Sunday’s second round of local elections, Fuele said he was glad that international observers judged them competitive and well-administered while he was unhappy about reports of irregularities.
On his arrival on Tuesday, Fuele met the head of the opposition Social Democrats, Branko Crvenkovski. He was due to meet the Prime Minister, Nikola Gruevski, and the Vice Prime Minister, Fatmir Besimi, who is in charge of EU affairs, in the afternoon.
Fuele is accompanied by the European Commission’s Director-General for Enlargement, Stefano Sannino.
His visit coincides with the ongoing FYROM-Greece name talks in New York whose outcome will also play a part in the European Commission special report on the country, due on April 16.
On Tuesday in New York, the UN mediator, Matthew Nimetz holds joint talks with representatives of both countries.
In December, the EU Council said that any decision on opening accession talks for FYROM will be based on the European Commission due on April 16.
The report is tasked with assessing whether FYROM has taken real steps towards reaching a deal with Greece over its name, to which Athens objects, whether it has improved relations with Bulgaria and whether it has carried out reforms at home.
For three consecutive years, the European Commission has recommended a start to FYROM's acession talks. However, the Council of Ministers has not acted on the recommendations owing to the "blockade" from Greece connected to the dispute over the country's name.
The last time Fuele was in FYROM, in early March, he was part of a mission that resolved the political crisis in the country. As a result, opposition MPs returned to parliament and took part in the local elections.
The crisis erupted on December 24, when government parties passed a budget for 2013 in only minutes, after opposition MPs were kicked out of parliament.
In skopje Fuele will also monitor preparations for a commission that is tasked with analysing the incidents and pinpointing responsibility.
Sinisa Jakov-Marusic Balkan Insight (9/4/13)
*(After the necessary corrections with the name "FYROM".
GREECE recognised this country with the name "FYROM")
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