Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said that he is not in Macedonia to intervene in the fast developing political crisis, and that the Netherlands will work with any future Macedonian Government, if the Zaev Government collapses tomorrow. Rutte is on a pre-planned tour of the region and his visit to Macedonia coincided with the vote of no confidence in Zaev that is planned for tomorrow.

I’m personally good friend of Prime Minister Zaev, but of course, we will work with every Government in (North) Macedonia, Rutte said in an interview with Sitel TV.

Rutte also said that while the Netherlands was long opposed to opening EU accession talks with Balkan countries, it now supports opening talks with Macedonia and Albania, and is cautiously optimistic that Bulgaria will lift its veto after the elections there this Sunday.

I’m happy that the EU decided to open accession talks. Unfortunately, the latest problem now is Bulgaria which we have to solve. I’m cautiously optimistic, I hope that after the Bulgarian elections next Sunday, and the fact that my colleagues in the European Union are very much in agreement that this bilateral issue between Bulgaria and (North) Macedonia should not stand in the way of opening the accession talks. That is really a collectively held opinion in the European Union, Rutte added.