I don’t know which of rapporteur Waitz’s reports you read. Quite the opposite, the report I heard is the complete antithesis of your questions, Macedonian Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said when asked to comment on EU rapporteur Thomas Waitz’s response in an interview with a Bulgarian media outlet, that there have been no reforms in the country for a whole year.
EU rapporteur for Macedonia in the European Parliament Thomas Waitz said in an interview with Euronews Bulgaria that the country and its citizens could miss a key opportunity for headway towards the European Union, if the Government does not use the current momentum for EU integration. He reiterated that constitutional amendments remain a condition without which negotiations with the EU cannot proceed.
“There are some positive steps, such as the action plan on minority issues, but the government must implement the reforms. Otherwise, we cannot enter into real negotiations. In the last year, we have not seen any progress, nor reforms. It is not just about starting negotiations, but also about the reform agenda and the growth plan. If the country does not implement the necessary reforms, the funds, including EUR 47 million, will be redirected to neighboring countries,” Waitz warned.
Regarding the possibility of accession, Waitz assesses that Macedonia still has a chance to join together with Albania and Montenegro during this term of the European Parliament, if it seriously commits to reforms.
“Unfortunately, at the moment I do not see sufficient political will, especially in the area of the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary. But I will not give up, my role is to support and help the region progress,” Waitz said.
