Macedonia Leader Renews Attacks on EU Critics

PM Nikola Gruevski | Photo by: Macedonian Government

Nikola Gruevski told Macedonia’s state MIA news agency that the EU's “exaggerated” criticism of Macedonia was part of a "new tactics" forged by “individuals in Brussels or beyond” to force his government to succumb to an unjust settlement with Greece.

“By claiming that we are not doing much in the way of reforms and by over-emphasizing weaknesses, we are supposed to be put into an unpleasant situation. We are to be devalued before the public,” Gruevski said.

“The methods are well known and will surprise no one. The objective is clear - pressure for the settlement of the 'name' row at any price,” Gruevski said.

Greece has been blocking Macedonia's accession to the European Union since 2009. Athens insists that use of the name "Macedonia" implies a territorial claim to its own northern province with the same name.

Referring to last week’s critical remarks by the EU Enlargement Commissioner, Stefan Fuele, Gruevski said the “new tactics" had already been put in practice.

But he warned that European pressure would have the “opposite effect” to the one intended and would only further delay a solution.

“After a year or two, when we see the fiasco of this tactic, the two countries will be further away from a solution than they are now,” he said, adding that both sides should work towards a solution in a pressure-free environment.

Gruevski, head also of the governing VMRO DPMNE party, said that pronounced criticism of his government might create a feeling of frustration in Macedonia and further slow the pace of reforms. But, he went on, “I will try to keep this [reform] energy on the right track”.

This is not the first time Gruevski has criticized Brussels for being too harsh towards Macedonia.

Gruevski was outspoken last week after Macedonia received this year’s so-called progress report from the European Commission.

In it, the Commission confirmed for the third year running that it recommended a start to EU accession talks but warned that with the current [slow] pace of reforms the recommendation was not written in stone.

“With only a half-hearted approach [to] implementation [ of reforms], they should not take it for granted that next year our recommendation will stay as this year, even if the 'name' issue is being solved,” Fuele said in Brussels last Wednesday.

Gruevski responded by decribing Fuele's words as “not a help but a hindrance to settling the main problem of our EU integration - the one that Greece has with our constitutional name, 'Republic of Macedonia'”.

Gruevski told MIA he expected criticism for his government to intensify “from many sides”, saying that “International NGOs, associations, institutions, politicians, experts, certain media” may join in the scheme.

Meanwhile, a meeting of ministers for EU integration from the Western Balkans countries, held in Skopje in Monday, urged all countries in the process not to lose momentum.

“Although the journey towards EU accession can be a long and difficult one, it is a journey that can and will come to an end, and the destination reached,” Richard Howitt, the Macedonian Rapporteur in the European Parliament, said.