Fule: Significant work undertaken, progress made on some important issues
It is very important that all political forces remain committed to European integration and do not make it hostage of their political competition, because that only harms this country and its people, urged EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule at Tuesday's joint press conference with Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski after wrapping up the fourth meeting of the High Level Accession Dialogue (HLAD) between the Government of Macedonia and the European Commission.
Fule note that "we could at last focus on HLAD agenda" after the weeks marked by the political crisis.
"Significant work has been undertaken and progress made on some important issues, but as we agreed, despite the successes the work continues and much more remains to be done," said the EU Commissioner.
With respect to the implementation of the March 1 agreement, which settled last year's political impasse in Macedonia, Fule said that it was being implemented, but not fully.
"Politicians here created the crisis and they have the political responsibility to overcome its effects by implementing this agreement. They haven't done so yet, at least not fully," Fule stressed.
Referring to freedom of expression and the media, the EU official said that it was essential the government to resume the dialogue with journalists so that they engage on the reforms in this field. "Remember that defending freedom of media is the essence of democracy," he added.