The Kovacevski Government sees the initiative from French President Emmanuel Macron as a welcome alternative for countries such Ukraine and Georgia, while Macedonia continues to demand full EU membership.

Macedonia has the support of its European partners who believe we need to begin our accession talks for EU membership immediately. The Government of course continues the dialogue with neighboring Bulgaria to find a dignified and European solution that will lift the veto and give us the long-awaited date to open EU accession talks, said spokesman Dusko Arsovski.

Macron opened the idea of a two-tiered EU, with a group of well integrated core countries and a ring of looser members. It’s not clear whether Macedonia would fall in the core or the outer group, in Macron’s strategy.