Macedonia Press Review – January 24, 2013

DNEVNIK

The daily writes about the unannounced visit to the country by the EU Enlargement Commissioner, Stefan Fuele on Wednesday. The talks with the Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, President Gjeoge Ivanov and opposition leader Branko Crvenkovski were shrouded in secrecy as there were no statements afterwards. However, Brussels diplomats told the daily that Fuele came to urge political leaders to find a swift solution for the political crisis so that it does not hamper Macedonia’s EU agenda.

Political crisis erupted on December 24, when government parties passed a budget for 2013 in only minutes, after opposition MPs were kicked out of parliament. The opposition is now boycotting the parliament, staging protests and demanding snap general polls in March.

UTRINSKI VESNIK

Macedonian political crisis has sound the alarm in Brussels, the daily says. EU Enlargement Commissioner, Stefan Fuele on Wednesday came to Macedonia to hold secret meetings with country’s political leaders after which no statements were given.  When media found out about it, he was already leaving the country. Speculations are that the political feud between the government and the opposition have entirely messed his plans for Macedonia.

The EU Council has recently said  that any decision on opening accession talks for Macedonia would be based on a report by the European Commission due to be published in spring this year. Untill now the country had to work on making progress in the name talks with Greece but the political crisis may jeopardize the agenda set by Brussels.

Balkan Insight has not verified the reports and cannot vouch for their accuracy.