Following his meeting with French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe in Poznan, Zoran Zaev acknowledged that France and the Netherlands have what he called “an internal debate” over enlargement. Still, Zaev insists that the Macedonian dossier will be so strong that these two countries – opponents of enlargement won’t be able to refuse the opening of accession talks.

The decision is largely agreed, but all the countries have internal debates as well. France, we’ve mentioned it, but also the Netherlands, because of its own internal debate. But one thing is certain – they won’t be able to walk past all our successes, Zaev said today during his opening of one of the “Chinese highways” Skopje – Stip.

Zaev jumped on the positive comment from German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who said that she supports the opening of accession talks. France demands a deepening of the EU before other countries join the unwieldy union, while the Dutch are appalled by high levels of Balkan immigrant crime, especially from Albanian gangs. European leaders postponed their decision on the opening of accession talks with Macedonia and Albania for October.