At the last European Council Meeting on October 17-18th, French President Emmanuel Macron used France’s veto, in order to prevent Albania and North Macedonia from being given a start date for accession talks.
France was joined by Denmark and the Netherlands in opposing Tirana’s candidacy and went out of its way in blocking Skopje’s accession talks as well.
The French President argues, that the EU enlargement process needs a major overhaul before talks can begin with the prospective member states.
Prime Minister of North Macedonia Zoran Zaev, has succeeded in resolving an approximately a three-decades-long, name dispute with Greece. This was supposed to pave the way, for North Macedonia’s accession talks with the European Union.
After France’s Veto, which shook the whole region’s ‘status quo’—PM Zaev called for snap elections and said he would step down from his role as Prime Minister of North Macedonia. In an interview with the New York Times, PM Zaev said, he “is breaking inside” and that the veto “destroyed him personally and emotionally.” PM Zaev expressed concern, not only about North Macedonia—but also, for the stability of the Western Balkans in general.
According to PM Zaev, “nationalism and radicalism” in the Western Balkans could rise again, starting new conflicts and reviving old wounds from decades past.
