On Friday 27 April, European Council President Donald Tusk stated – without making a clear reference to the name issue – that he supported the process of reconciliation between the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Greece.
At a press conference with Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, Tusk underlined the importance of regional cooperation and good neighbourly relations, saying he would like these relations to be improved with Greece, which Skopje still opposes over the name "Macedonia". "You have proven with Bulgaria that where there is a will to overcome the ghosts of the past, there is a way, to the future. I very much hope that you can make the journey also with Greece", Tusk told Zaev.
Tusk was not short of praise for FYROM. "I sense a real political will to move on with your country's Euro-Atlantic integration. And I sense a courageous and forward-looking leadership of Prime Minister Zaev", he said, stating that the European Commission's recommendation to open accession talks is "the best proof that the efforts" made "impress many in Europe", and that "a new and promising chapter in the history (of FYROM) is just about to start".
Tusk reiterated that the EU would help the country in its reform efforts, adding that FYROM has "all the necessary ingredients for success: a consensus for EU and NATO membership of the political class, and the determination of your people".
Tusk also reiterated that the EU is, "and will remain", the most reliable partner for the whole region, especially in terms of trade. He said that close to 80% of the country's exports go to the EU, another 13% to the country's Western Balkans neighbours, and only 1.5% goes to Turkey, 1% to Russia and 1% to China. "Beyond trade and investments, I am convinced that the EU is the best hope for a better future for your citizens", he added, at a time when Europeans are concerned about Turkish or Russian influence in the region. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)