2023-07-12 19:35:11
Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg (ÖVP) is traveling to Skopje on Thursday together with his counterparts from Slovakia, Miroslav Wlachovský, and the Czech Republic, Jan Lipavský. The appearance in “Slavkov format” comes at the behest of EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell. During the visit to the capital of North Macedonia, the aim is to press for the implementation of a constitutional change that is necessary for advancing the Western Balkans’ EU rapprochement process.
On behalf of the 27 EU member states, the three foreign ministers will meet their Macedonian counterpart Bujar Osmani with the political leadership, including President Stevo Pendarovski and Parliament Speaker Talat Xhaferi, as well as representatives of the governing coalition, the opposition and civil society.
The constitutional amendment to recognize the Bulgarian minority in the country is a prerequisite for North Macedonia’s progress in the EU accession process, forced by Bulgaria through a blockade. So far, however, the social-democratic (SDSM)-led government in Skopje has lacked the necessary two-thirds majority in parliament. The national conservative opposition party VMRO-DPMNE rejects the change. During their talks, Schallenberg, Lipavský and Wlachovský are said to insist on breaking this domestic stalemate on the way to amending the constitution.
The three countries are members of the recently launched “Friends of the Western Balkans” initiative. As early as 2015, greater Central European cooperation was agreed in the southern Moravian town of Slavkov (Austerlitz). In the “Slavkov/Austerlitz format”, joint missions have often been undertaken in recent years – including on behalf of the EU.
In addition to the Western Balkan states of Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Albania, Kosovo and North Macedonia, Ukraine and Moldova have also had official EU accession candidate status since last year. This has raised some concerns, particularly in Austria, that the Western Balkans could be left behind. There is also concern that powers such as Russia or China could gain greater influence in the region as a result.
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