Jean-Claude Juncker, Michel Barnier, Theresa May Special meeting of the European Council (Art. 50), 25/11/2018
The discussions in Brussels on the UK’s withdrawal agreement with the European Union ended with approval by EU leaders, EU Council President Donald Tusk said, the BBC News reports. Tusk tweeted about the approval, which was positive after Spain gave up of the concerns over Gibraltar.
EU27 has endorsed the Withdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration on the future EU-UK relations.
The EU proceeded with a consensus and no formal vote. As BBC News said, UK Parliament needs to approve the agreement. The voting could be in early December but many MPs opposite it. The deal was possible after more than 18 months of negotiations between the two sides and after the UK triggered Article 50.
On Sunday, EU27 leaders approved a585 page-binding document that covers “divorce bill,” citizen’s rights, keeping the border with the Republic of Ireland open, and the political declaration,which arranges UK and EU’s trade and security relationships. The UK Prime minister Theresa May appealed to public for a support of the agreement. The UK should leave EU on March 29, 2019.
The Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia voted for a temporary State Election Commission members, responsible for name-change referendum. Elected members sworn before the speaker of the Assembly. Photo: Archive 30.07.2018
Majority of the respondents surveyed for the referendum question on name-change process of the Republic of Macedonia for EU and NATO membership would vote “yes,” said the survey by the not-for-profit Macedonian Center for International Cooperation. In a statement released on Tuesday by Skopje based think-thank organization, about 41, 5 percent of the surveyed responded that they would vote “yes,” while 35, 1 percent said they would vote “against” the referendum question.
“Are you for EU and NATO membership, with acceptance of the agreement between the Republic of Macedonia and Republic of Greece,” the question defined by the parliamentarian majority says. Defined as it is, the question has greater support among ethnic Albanians in comparison to the ethnic Macedonians in the country.
The telephone survey conducted from July 24 until August 1, 2018, says 88 percent of the surveyed Albanians shows support to the referendum. That percentage among Macedonians is lower, with only 22% expressing possible “yes” vote. More than 40 percent of the surveyed Macedonians are against the agreement, while only 2 percent of surveyed Albanians could vote “against.”
If the question does not contain the part for the EU or NATO membership, the survey shows that “yes” supporters are about 4 percent ahead of the “against” supporters, with 39,8 percent for the “yes” camp and 35,7 percent of the “against” camp.
Despite the referendum worries on the census, 66, 7% of the questioned respondents confirmed they would go to the polls. Overall, the support for EU in this survey is 80, 4 percentages, and for NATO is 79, 9 percentages. This was a telephone survey with 1026 respondents, said the official release by the organization.
More than half of the surveyed contested the “erga omnes” decision, with 57, 1 percentage “against,” and the need of the Constitution change, with 58, 9 percentages “against.” On September 30, 1, 814,644 registered voters, according to latest data of 2017 local elections by the State Election Commission, would have the right to vote “yes” or “against” the referendum question.
The referendum is one of the phases that the government of the Prime minister Zoran Zaev accepted with the agreement signed in Psarades on June 17, 2018.
Macedonian Prime minister Zoran Zaev who is one year on power in Macedonia shared optimism for reaching a phase solution for the 25-year-old dispute over the name “Macedonia” brought to daylight by neighboring Hellenic Republic.
Even though, Zaev tried to put the focus on his address to the issues of economy, the biggest attention he reached talking on the name issue after information published mostly in Greek media.
Zaev confirmed that both governments “continue with the talks.” He reaffirmed that “we have never been so close to the solution,” referring to the possibility for Macedonia to open the way for prospects in more abstract topics, including the date for the opening of the accession talks between the European Union and the Republic of Macedonia and receiving an membership invitation for NATO.
Zaev offered no details Greek media writings about phase solution to the issue in exchange for an initial removal of the blockade of Macedonia’s EU and NATO path.
Zaev reaffirmed that “Macedonian language is confirmed, and that the Macedonian identity is confirmed,” but he did not specify the details previously discussed between foreign ministers of both countries under the mediation of the United Nations’ mediator Matthew Nimetz.
Zaev did not specify whether the talks he has with his Greek counterpart Alexis Tsipras could lead to the solution that would include simple majority in the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia for the provisional agreement between two states and further necessity of two-third majority for the Constitutional changes.
“The citizens would have the final vote on the referendum,” but, “citizens” are waiting for leadership, stated Zaev, adding that “true patriots are those who ensure the future for the citizens.”
Almost one year after Zaev started with the signings of neighborhood agreements with some of the countries, neighbors to Macedonia, he was convinced today that he is opening a brighter chapter in which historical disputes with neighboring Bulgaria would evaporated when compared to the economy statistics.
“The trade between two countries after the signing of the agreement with Bulgaria rises for 11, 5 percentages,” stated Zaev. The possible agreement with Greece would include phase steps for the acceptance of possible changes in the name “Република Македонија,” as Constitution defines it.
Possible referendum could be in the fall. NATO Summit is on July 11-12 in Brussels, Belgium. A package that Greece expects to assure should contain a composite name for domestic and international use, or defined by the Greeks as “erga omnes.”
The European Union High Representative Federica Mogherini greeted the members of the Parliament of the Republic of Macedonia with the importance of their work during her speech at the Assembly.
“The work that Parliaments and members of Parliaments do all over Europe is the heart, the beating heart of our democratic values and our democratic institutions,” said Mogherini before the state official guests and members of the Parliament.
Some of the MPs of VMRO-DPMNE listen to Mogherini’s address, which was highly anticipated in part of her speech. “I am glad to see that the opposition is back in Parliament,” said Mogherini.
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs repeated what she stressed as important in her two-day visit, and that the country “overcome the worst political and institutional crisis,” and said, “You are fully back on track.” With the renewed recommendation adopted this week in Strasbourg for the country accession talks, Mogherini stated it is important to, “maintain and deepen the reforms” in their “implementation side.”
Addressing the Assembly, Mogherini said, “I see today here in Skopje and in all corners of your country a self-confident nation, a multi-ethnic society,” with a goal to European Union. In achieving of that, Mogherini stated, “unity, responsibility, pragmatism, a certain vision for the future, courage are and will continue to be necessary.
In the speech before Parliamentarians, Mogherini stressed, “Your talks with Greece can lead to a solution that will address both sides ‘legitimate concerns.’ Outside of the Assembly, a group of people protested controversial court case in death of four-year-old child in Kumanovo.
Smiling faces, photographers’ flashes and many courteous words marked the first of the two-day official visit of high-level delegation of the European Commission marking, as they say, returning to the right path of the European integration process of the Republic of Macedonia. Usually, the low-level procedure for representing the annual progress reports of the countries that aspire for a full membership in the Union this year transforms in highly anticipated official visit by EC Commissioners.
All daylong two high representatives of the European Union, Johannes Hahn, Enlargement Commissioner, and Federica Mogherini, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs met with state officials and offered statements about promising future of Western Balkans countries in the EU. Mogherini would address even the Parliament in the morning after spending time to talk with officials.
The reports on all Balkan countries were published in Brussels and the enlargement package includes the annual assessment for the countries. This year report for Macedonia has 96 pages and sublimates the state of European integration of the country. The report is a complex document, mainly discussing improved areas or the spheres that need further enhancements. In 33 chapters, EU screens the situation in the country focusing on the key criteria for a membership.
In the morning, after having a meeting with Prime minister, Zoran Zaev, Commissioner Hahn arrived at the Parliament to hand over a copy of the report to the president of the Parliament Talat Xhaferi. After the short ceremony where MPs of the political parties represented in the Assembly welcomed Hahn, short meeting happened in the Parliament between delegations of the EU and the Assembly.
One of the key requirements remains the political dialogue through institutions. EU considers that the country, “overcome its most severe political crisis since 2001.” The EU greets the efforts of the as stated, “New reform-oriented government” in restoring “checks and balances, strengthening democracy and rule of law.”
After mentioning the serious attack on the Parliament on April 27, 2017, and saying “the law enforcement authorities failed to prevent these attacks,” EU focuses on further improvements that Parliament needs to deliver.
“Parliament still needs to improve its performance as a forum for constructive political dialogue and enhance its legislative function by limiting the extensive use of shortened legislative procedures.” The report notifies lower percentage of laws voted in shortened or urgent procedure, but it is still high. In 2016 was 67%, and in 2017 was 60%, said the report of the Commission.
EU fosters more oversight by the Parliament to the work of government and the intelligence services. The Commission is seeking improvements in the Parliament’s capacity to monitor “the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms.
This is only a short preview of the complex report that the government and other institutions should use as guidance until the next year report implementing reforms. EU guests met with President Gjorgje Ivanov, president of DUI, Ali Ahmeti, president of VMRO-DPMNE, Hristijan Mickoski.
Largest opposition party VMRO-DPMNE reacted that “neither of the key areas of the public administration, judiciary, fight against corruption and organized crime has no evaluation about good progress, but it is written that the country achieved some level of preparation.”
Zaev’s government that was elected on May 31, 2017, expects the date for the opening of the accession negotiations. Definition of this could happen in early summer during the end of the Bulgarian presidency with the Union. Largely, the “name issue” remains one of the points in the report. EU thinks this is now a “matter of urgency.”
Talks between Serbia and Kosovo at the European Union in Brussels have been suspended after the death of a politician of Serbian origin in Kosovska Mitrovica, a town with two administrative units.
Several hours of silence and statement only of the European Commission spokesperson Maja Kocijancic, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini called the presidents of Serbia and Kosovo to make “an appeal for calm” and to express the condemnation.
Shooting of Oliver Ivanovic, president of Citizens’ Initiative Freedom, Democracy, and Justice Party happened on Tuesday morning by unknown, assailants, as media in Serbia reported.
Doctors in Mitrovica, as the town is called by Kosovo authorities, announced Ivanovic is death shortly after the shooting happened in front of the local headquarters in the part of the town, which is not under control of the Serbian state.
Even though it was not clear if the shooting was related to the ongoing dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina that are moderated by the EU, the information about the killing halted today’s negotiations in Brussels.
Mogherini, who talked with authorities in Kosovo last year, urged finding of “the perpetrators and bring them to justice.”
After three talks between Serbian and Kosovo delegations in Brussels, working groups should have resumed the discussions for the first time since the end of 2016. After the shooting, international community still in presence in Kosovo appealed for a rule of law.
The head of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in Kosovo, Ambassador Jan Braathu said, “this will be a major test for rule of law in Kosovo,” while the U.S. Ambassador to Pristina Greg Delawie expects judicial bodies, “to investigate this incident swiftly and professionally.” As the Associated Press reports, Kosovo Prime minister Ramush Haradinaj says he “considers the slaying of Serb minority political leader Oliver Ivanovic as ‘a punishable criminal act.’”
President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic called the national Security Council and held news conference broadcasted and live streamed on Serbian public broadcaster Radio Television of Serbia. Vucic expressed his concerns that some countries within KFOR push to suspend the control of the administrative line, and said he hopes Ivanovic’s murder would not add to the realizations of those ideas.
Vucic, as RTS reports, warned, “some do not try to use it for the introduction of Kosovo security forces, neither in the north nor in Kosovo.”
Vucic acknowledged that the shooting did not happen in the territory controlled by Serbia. Serbian president promised to Ivanovic’s family finding of the perpetrators.
Vucic expects of the authorities in Kosovo to act professionally. He stated, “we expect them to do it professionally.”
Kosovo police forces secured the area after the shooting near the local headquarters of the political party. The shooting happened only a week after the State Department issued a travel warning for Kosovo.
Aleksandra Dukovska 