On Thursday 13 September, the prime minister of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Zoran Zaev, expressed great hopes about the referendum in his country on 30 September regarding the change of the country's name. If positive, this referendum would be a further step towards the opening of his country's EU accession negotiations.
According to the opinion polls, Macedonians are expected to vote 'yes' to the question posed in the referendum: "Are you for accession to the European Union and to NATO, accepting the agreement between the Republic of Macedonia and the Republic of Greece?"
In a formal session, Zaev told MEPs that this referendum was "a referendum for our future, a referendum on our second independence". "It has historic significance equal to that on independence" 27 years ago, he said.
"The people of my country are at a historic crossroads", Zaev stated, acknowledging that the question was not easy. "We will be the Republic of North Macedonia, with a recognised language and people. We know all the advantages stemming from this", he said (see EUROPE 12074).
Zaev wanted to be reassuring: "This is the best possibility, a unique chance. We are not going to miss it. We are going to seize it full-on because it is our ticket to enter the EU", he said. "This is a historic moment. I am proud that our country can seize this chance. We are very close to accomplishing this dream of having a European Macedonia. That is why I think the referendum will be crowned with success", he added. In Zaev's view, more than three quarters of the population support EU accession and the EU's "values".
Zaev also said that the EU has been the driving force behind the neighbourhood agreements. "Our struggle for a European future has been a key factor in the historic agreements with Greece and Bulgaria. We are a European success story, an authentic model for a functional multi-ethnic democracy. A sort of little Europe, we live the European moto of 'unity in diversity' on a daily basis, with its advantages and its challenges", he said.
He highlighted at length his country's desire to join the EU and NATO, without hiding the reforms that his country still needs to conduct on the rule of law, the fight against corruption, and making the public administration more professional. "We are doing our best to be up to the criteria. We know there is a lot of road to cover", he admitted.
Zaev also called for the integration of the Western Balkans into the EU, saying that this would bring more stability and that the EU would not be strong without this integration. "We know what we can give back in return: loyalty, fidelity, giving you a real passion for the EU", he added.
High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, who was also in Strasbourg, was moreover due to travel to FYROM on 13 September to meet Zaev and members of his government, as well President Gjorge Ivanov and the leader of the main opposition party VMRO-DPMNE, Hristijan Mickoski. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)