Despite numerous attempts to get her to answer, Deputy Prime Minister Radmila Sekerinska would not clearly disclose to the public when will Macedonia begin its EU accession talks.

Sekerinska was promoting what she called a major success for the diplomacy of her Government – the securing of the opening of EU accession talks, after the move was blocked by France in late 2019. But the decision that was made recently does not include an actual date for the opening of accession talks as is usual with prior candidate countries, and VMRO-DPMNE Vice President Aleksandar Nikoloski insisted that Sekerinska responds – what is the date.

– You had Government officials post pictures saying we have the date for accession talks, Nikoloski said.
– But we did it!, Sekerinska replied.
– Ok then, what is the date?
– We have the opening of accession talks, Sekerinska insisted.

What followed was a long exchange which left the public none the wiser as to what is the coveted date for opening of accession talks. At one point Sekerinska even offered to give the date when the European Council met to approve the opening of accession talks, but without a date attached to the decision.

Додека криминалците од СДСМ се на власт, Македонија нема да почне преговори со ЕУ

Денес на дебатата Шекеринска имаше проблем да каже на кој датум ќе почнат преговорите. И помогнав, и кажав дека додека криминалците од СДСМ се на власт, Македонија нема да почне преговори со ЕУ!

Gepostet von Aleksandar Nikoloski am Dienstag, 19. Mai 2020

Approving the opening of accession talks but without a date is another in the long list of precents that the EU has done in the case of Macedonia, which has faced unprecedented pressure from Greece, and now even from Bulgaria, who block its EU accession until the country delivers on a long list of humiliating national identity concessions.