In the evening of Wednesday 31 August, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini and European Commissioner for Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn welcomed the agreement struck earlier that day among the political leaders of Macedonia to hold general elections on 11 December 2016.
"We welcome that the leaders of the four main political parties took a number of important decisions on the way ahead in implementing their political agreement of last year (Ed: June-July 2015) (see EUROPE 11360), including setting the date of the early parliamentary election for 11 December", Mogherini and Hahn stated in a joint press release. The agreement on the date of the elections was obtained at the end of a six-hour meeting mediated by Europe and the United States. The elections initially scheduled for 24 April were postponed to 5 June and then cancelled under pressure from the EU and others, who said they were unlawful (see EUROPE 11554).
Mogherini and Hahn called on all political parties "to strictly observe a credible electoral process, to allow all citizens a free choice and, after the elections, to build a government that tackles crucial reforms and works for the interests of all citizens. In the same vein, all political forces must urgently reenergise their efforts to implement the rest of the political agreement, including the Urgent Reform Priorities" (see EUROPE 11428).
Mogherini and Hahn said the European Union "will continue its support to this process and to help the country to return to its Euro-Atlantic path". (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)