Macedonia’s top officials and the public are awaiting the European Council’s decision to open negotiations with Macedonia. Forecasts so far are not optimistic, mostly because of France’s firm stance, which opposes to Macedonia, Albania starting accession negotiations.

Expectations are that Macedonia will get something that will be neither a date nor a decision that will mean rejecting everything the government has done in the past year, especially by resolving the dispute with Greece.

But in June, Zaev said that the conclusion of the EU Council was sending a serious message and an absolute guarantee which they had received it in writing.

At the Council of Ministers, we received a written legal formal guarantee that we will receive a date for the start of negotiations no later than October. There is no possibility to make such a decision without all countries agreeing, which means that there is a consensual decision, Zaev said on June 19.