Reynders: Political dialogue and opposition to return to parliament
For Belgium the message is clear, we expect to see progress, we should go together on the path. To achieve this you need to continue the political dialogue and the opposition to return to parliament, Belgium's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Didier Reynders said at Monday’s press conference in Skopje.
According to him, the mood in the EU and Belgium in particular, is to help Macedonia, but previously the country must do its work.
There are many issues that need to work on as independence of the media, independence of the judiciary. We wish negotiations to begin, chapter by chapter at the same time as negotiations for political dialogue are conducted. All should be involved and we are ready to help, Reynders said at the joint press conference with his host FM Nikola Poposki.
Regarding the name dispute with Greece, Reynders said that Belgium can help Macedonia with its experience because it comes from a country where the region bears the name Holland.
The proposal of Athens on confidence-building measures, Poposki said two things are crucial.
The reality is that Macedonia and Greece are not at war, but excellently cooperate, and secondly, we should not request excuses for not surpassing the blockade that is associated with the imposed dispute. The main theme must not be blurred and to defocus from negotiations to join NATO and the EU. Trust is necessary, but also solutions and dialogue are necessary, Poposki said.
Asked about the case of eavesdropping, Reynders considers it necessary to first clarify whether wiretapping was legal or illegal, and in terms of the content to see if sanctioning is necessary.
Poposki said that it is in Macedonia’s interest to settle the wiretapping affair with the institutional and legal outcome regardless of European integration.
Reynders who pays official visit to Macedonia will also meet with President Gjorge Ivanov, PM Nikola Gruevski and Deputy PM for European Affairs Fatmir Besimi.