For the Renew Europe Group, the report on North Macedonia is a clear reflection of what we have seen in the country in recent years. Skopje demonstrated continuity regarding its dedicated commitment to the European path and the understanding of the need to implement stable and inclusive democratic reforms, especially by taking important steps to strengthen democracy and the rule of law.
Renew Europe MEP Ilhan Kyuchyuk, (Movement for Rights and Freedoms, Bulgaria), European Parliament’s rapporteur on North Macedonia, said:
“Setbacks such as the impact of the COVID19 pandemic didn’t stop the country from reforming. I hope that both North Macedonia and Bulgaria will resume constructive dialogue on the pending bilateral issues in order to achieve sustainable results. Reaching a compromise over an action plan of concrete measures, the implementation of which is to be regularly assessed in accordance with the Friendship Treaty, would restart the process and would allow the Council to convene the first intergovernmental conference as soon as possible.”
Renew Europe MEP Michal Šimečka (Progressive Slovakia), shadow rapporteur on Albania, welcomed the continued implementation of the EU accession-related reforms, but it highlighted the need for improvement in some specific sectors:
“The upcoming parliamentary elections will serve as an important test of Albanian democracy. We are expecting them to live up to the highest international standards. At the same time, Albania must continue crucial reforms in the justice sector and intensify the fight against organized crime and corruption to bolster trust in state institutions. The rule of law is critical to Albania’s accession prospects.”