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Hahn: Macedonia and Albania are on the right track towards EU

in EUROPE/PRESS RELEASE/REGIONS by

As the UK moves to exit the EU, the Western Balkans are pushing for the opening of the Union’s door. In spring, Brussels can give a green light for opening accession negotiations with Macedonia and Albania, the Austrian daily newspaper Kurier reads. The EU Commissioner for the European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, Johannes Hahn also told EU-Western Balkans Media Days that took place on Nov. 9 to 10 in Tirana that Macedonia and Albania are on the right track, MIA reports.EC President Jean-Claude Juncker pointed to 2025 as a possible term for admitting new EU members, but according to Hahn, no state has a guarantee that it will join by then. If a specific deadline is set, it can be a danger for the Western Balkans that will not be able to meet the deadline, to remain waiting and to lag behind. A positive moment, which was pointed out at Hahn’s meetings in Tirana, is the improved climate in the relations between Greece and Macedonia. This opens opportunities in the coming months for a possible end of the Greek blockade due to the long-standing name dispute with Macedonia. In regard to Albania, the problem with the thousands of Albanians still seeking asylum in the EU should be solved. It affects the image of the country and therefore has to change, but this cannot be done in a year or two.

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PM Zaev: Progress – only way for the Western Balkan countries to join EU

in EUROPE/PRESS RELEASE/REGIONS by

Only a progress of all countries in the region may contribute to their EU accession, Macedonia’s Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said Friday at an annual regional convention on European Integration of the Western Balkans within the project ‘Fostering the partnership between V4 and WB and capacity building in Western Balkans’.The reform plan 3-6-9 is the main road map of the ongoing activities for transforming the institutions, policies and the society, Zaev said, pointing out that the next year is vital for Macedonia, when the country expects substantial progress on its road to joining the Euro-Atlantic organizations.To that effect Macedonia has been working on advancing the relations with its neighbors, Zaev said, notifying the friendship treaty with Bulgaria as an example of ‘our sincere intention’.He also underlined the experience of the Visegrad Group for Macedonia and the Western Balkan countries.Today’s event brought together Macedonia’s Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov, Ambassadors of Visegrad Group member countries (the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia), Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia/Herzegovina, Kosovo and Macedonia.

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EU accession negotiationsl, Goverment’s priority

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The Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Ditmir Bushati hosted on Thùrsday the European Commissioner for Neighborhood Policy and Membership Negotiations, Johannes Hahn in the framework of his official visit to Tirana. Referring to this visit the minister stated that it comes in a highly important moment for Albania on view of the fact that Albania has already launched the vetting process. He also informed the commissioner Hahn about the concrete steps undertaken by the Albanian government in order to meet all accession priorities while confirming the determination for further progress in this aspect. Commissioner Hahn commended Albania’s stable progress in the implementation of key priorities for the opening of accession negotiations. He praised in particular the judicial reform adoption, emphasizing at the same time the importance of its implementation as a key element for the consolidation of the rule of law in Albania.

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EU: 50 mln euros for Donetsk and Luhansk regions in 2018

in EUROPE/PRESS RELEASE/REGIONS by

Next year the European Union will allocate 50 million euros for assistance programs of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

Head of Cooperation of the EU Delegation to Ukraine Berend De Groot said this at a meeting with representatives of the Donetsk Regional State Administration in Kramatorsk on Wednesday. “In Kramatorsk, the representatives of the Donetsk Regional State Administration held a meeting with representatives of the Delegations of the European Union and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine. According to Head of Cooperation of the EU Delegation to Ukraine Berend De Groot, the EU plans to allocate 50 million euros for Donetsk and Lugansk regions next year,” the regional state administration noted. These funds will be primarily spent on decentralization programs, development of vocational and higher education and medicine, support for small businesses, and strengthening of the security of communities.

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Sterjovski : Recognising Bulgarians minority is genocide on Macedonians in Albania

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Recognising the Bulgarian minority in Albania is genocide on Macedonians in Albania where there were no Bulgarians, Vasil Sterjovski, general secretary of the Macedonian Alliance for European Integration (MAEI) party in Albania, said in the interview with Tirana-based Tema television.According to him, Bulgarians have been trying for years to artificially present Bulgarian minority in Albania, Kosovo and Greece aimed at avoiding Macedonia with artificial Bulgarian minority and to “prove” that there is no Macedonian nation.Albanian foreign minister at several meetings stated these are the minorities living in Albania and the matter is completed. Even at one of the meetings at the request of the Albanian-Bulgarian Friendship Association, he said that although hundreds of Albanians have Italian passports that does not give Italy the right to claim its minority in Albania. However, under the pressure from Bulgaria and EU’s vetoing Albania, the Albanian authorities yielded to the demands and Bulgarian became the ninth minority in the country.The Macedonian Alliance for European Integration and the Macedonian Association “Ilinden” strongly reacted to this and asked Albanian President Ilir Meta not to sign the bill and to forward it to parliament to be reviewed again.

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EU to discuss tax havens blacklist after ‘Paradise Papers’ leaks

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EU states plan Tuesday on a discussion of black list plans for a tax haven after the documents just released have revealed investments by rich people and institutions around the world, officials said. the insertion of the subject on the monthly agenda of EU finance ministers came after the daily newspapers quoting the “Papiri Paradiso”, a series of financial documents originated mostly by Appleby, one of the largest offshore law companies. The documents were obtained from the German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung and shared with the international consortium of investigative journalists (ICIJ) and some media. Reuters did not check them independently. Appleby was not immediately available to comment. The latest revelations “re-emphasize the work the European Commission is doing to combat tax evasion”, EU Deputy Chief Executive Valdis Dombrovskis told reporters.

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President Ivanov says that Despite Brexit UK keeps on supporting Macedonia

in EUROPE/PRESS RELEASE/REGIONS by

Despite Brexit, the United Kingdom will continue to support Macedonia, it was conveyed to Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov in his meetings in London with the Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, and the Speaker of the House of Lords, Lord Fowler.President Ivanov said the meetings mainly focused on Brexit, a burning issue in the UK, his cabinet said in a press release Wednesday. Overall bilateral relations between the countries dominated the meetings. Next year marks the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the Republic of Macedonia and the United Kingdom.Meeting with the speakers of the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the Macedonian President shared views about current developments in the region, including the migrant crisis and Macedonia’s role in addressing it.Later in the day, Ivanov will deliver an address on topic “Macedonia, Migration and Security: Lessons Learned” in the Chatham House, the Royal Institute of International Affairs.

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FM Dimitrov : “Macedonia must get dynamic European perspective”

in EUROPE/POLITICS/PRESS RELEASE/REGIONS by

Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov launched Tuesday his Baltic tour with an official visit to Estonia, the current EU Presidency holder, meeting with counterpart Sven Mikser.Dimitrov briefed Mikser on the Government’s specific measures towards meeting the criteria for the start of EU accession talks and NATO membership. FM Mikser said Estonia was committed to the Union enlargement process and saluted the government’s reform efforts, reaffirming his country’s firm support to Macedonia’s EU and NATO accession, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said in a press release. Interlocutors also referred to the possibilities for more specific cooperation in meeting of EU membership criteria, with FM Mikser voicing Estonia’s readiness to share expertise in the fields of IT and digital administration. In the framework of the visit to Tallinn, FM Dimitrov met with members of the Estonian Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, focusing on EU’s role in the enhancement of regional stability and prosperity, which can be seen in the Baltic case.

 

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France urges China and EU to unite to protect Paris climate deal

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China and the European Union should set aside differences on trade and strengthen cooperation on climate change to “act as a shield” to protect the landmark Paris climate accord, France’s environment minister said. In an interview, French Minister for Ecological and Inclusive Transition Nicolas Hulot also urged China to step up its efforts towards a greener economy and take a lead role alongside France to implement the international climate accord reached in the French capital two years ago and now under threat from the US’ withdrawal. “It is China and the EU that have taken the leadership role on climate issues and they have to continue to play the leadership role in the implementation of the Paris Agreement … And if they coordinate they will be able to cover much larger areas,” he said during a brief trip to Hong Kong on Monday. The EU and China failed to agree an official climate statement during a bilateral summit in June over a long-standing trade spat, underlining their tense relationship and casting a shadow over their commitments to fighting global warming together in the absence of the US. Hulot said France and China held their first senior official dialogue on the low-carbon economy in June and companies from both countries were teaming up on various projects related to energy efficiency, sustainable cities, the shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy, carbon markets and green financing. The minister said the US’ retreat from the Paris deal was not a catastrophe even though it dealt a heavy blow to the global effort on climate change and had caused difficulties for poor countries most vulnerable to global warming. In response to comments by senior White House officials who said the US might reconsider its stance on the Paris agreement if other countries agreed to accommodate Washington’s concerns over economic costs and energy security, Hulot said the Paris deal was not renegotiable.

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European Parliament and Saudi Arabia confirmed their strong ties

in MIDLE EAST/PRESS RELEASE/REGIONS by

A seven-member delegation from the Saudi Parliamentary Friendship Committee, led by Prince Khalid bin Abdullah bin Mishari, met in Brussels on Monday with members of the European Parliament, who reaffirmed the strong ties between the Kingdom and Europe. The head of the Parliament’s Delegation for relations with the Arabian Peninsula (DARP), Michele Alliot-Marie, said that the presence of the Saudi delegation was very significant and reflected the desire to strengthen the Kingdom’s relations with the EU. Saudi Arabia is determined to end the suffering of the Yemeni people by supporting the legitimacy and efforts of friendly countries to negotiate reconciliation. Alliot-Marie pointed out that the political crisis between Qatar and Saudi, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt is of concern to the EU, which hopes a quick solution can be reached.

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