Former enlargement commissioner Johannes Hahn says Macedonia two years after signing the Prespa Agreement is on a good way on its path towards the EU, MIA’s Brussels correspondent reports.

Two years ago, the Prime Ministers of Greece and Macedonia, Alexis Tsipras and Zoran Zaev, signed a truly historic agreement. I remember this day at lake Prespa vividly, this unique moment which paved the way for a new, friendly relationship between two countries which had been engaged in a bitter dispute for decades, Hahn, who is the European Commissioner for Budget and Administration since late 2019, says Wednesday in a statement for MIA reminiscing about the 2018 signing ceremony.

Even though the name talks were brokered by the UN and its envoy Matthew Nimetz, Commissioner Hahn was actively engaged in facilitating the Skopje-Athens dialogue, according to diplomats who followed the process from its beginnings.

Settlement of the name dispute with Greece was considered the key condition to lift the veto for the opening of EU negotiations and accession in NATO.

The Prespa Agreement stands for courage, vision, political leadership and reconciliation, sending a positive signal to the region and beyond, says Hahn.

According to him, the process required hard work, long negotiations on tricky details, prepared by the countries’ foreign ministers, Nikos Kotzias and Nikola Dimitrov.

“The agreement was a decisive element for the decision of Member States to give their green light for opening accession negotiations with North Macedonia, which is on a good way on its path towards the EU. I am happy and proud to have contributed with my team to this achievement, which created new perspectives for the people on both sides of the border. Above all, I would like to pay tribute to everybody who worked for this success, which is a demonstration of true European spirit: overcoming disputes, crossing borders and working together for a joint and peaceful future,” Hahn tells MIA in a statement.

After being focused for five years on EU enlargement, Commissioner Hahn these days is fully committed to finding a compromise in the EU, which proves to be more difficult. Namely, an agreement on the bloc’s long-term budget in the midst of the biggest economic crisis in Europe after WWII.