On Monday 26 June, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn called for national consensus in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia around the issue of joining the European Union.
"National consensus is needed on integration into the European Union", Hahn said at a press conference in Skopje with Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev. Hahn stated that debate should take place within the parliament. He thus hoped that the opposition parties would play a "constructive" role and that their attitude might be different from that of the past.
"It is important to focus on the tasks before us. The country and all the responsible actors, including the opposition, media and judiciary, should focus on what is best for the citizens, while creating a modern state that works", he said, adding that it was important to work in the interest of all citizens and all communities, be they the community or the party of affiliation.
Hahn also said that it was "absolutely necessary" to move ahead with the urgent reforms as a priority. A group of experts from the EU arrived in Skopje on Tuesday 27 June to help the country in its reform efforts.
The issue of good neighbourly relations was also addressed, with Hahn commending the efforts of the prime minister and his foreign affairs minister towards Greece and Bulgaria. "It is really very important to restore good neighbourly relations", Hahn said. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)