Macedonian Deputy Prime Minister in charge of EU accession talks Nikola Dimitrov met with the French Minister of State Clement Beaune to discuss the latest delays in the next step on Macedonia’s EU path. Macedonia is hoping to open the accession talks by the end of the year, now that France lifted its objections to the methodology that is being used, but Bulgaria threatens to block the move unless major new concessions are made in areas of history and national identity.

The principled French support was expressed through the renewed approach to the accession talks and this is another important element in this key period that will enable the opening of accession talks this year. It gives us right to believe that this is the success Europe needs. The sooner member states reach consensus, the sooner we can begin our final phase of accession talks and the successful transformation of our society. This will send a positive sygnal to the region that the process of Europeization is the only path toward fundamentally strengthening the democratic processes, Dimitrov said during the meeting in Paris.