On Thursday 26 October, EU Enlargement Negotiations Commissioner Johannes Hahn announced that he hoped the European Commission would recommend opening accession talks with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) in 2018.
Hahn told a group of reporters in Tallinn that he hoped there could be a recommendation from the European Commission next year on the country’s future accession. The Commission is due to unveil reports on enlargement countries in the spring.
The commissioner commented on Macedonia: "The elephant in the room is the main issue. I hope for ideas on how it can be addressed in order not to repeat the situation we had in the past. In general, the country is making progress but it is not only the name issue. A lot of reform priorities need to be implemented".
In early September, Macedonian foreign minister, Nikola Dimitrov, hoped his country – which has been an EU candidate country since 2005 – could begin accession talks within 12 to 18 months (see EUROPE 11858). (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)