Publisher: European Policy Institute (EPI), Macedonia

 

Date: October 2012

 

Volume: 13 pages, pdf

 

 

 

This year’s Progress report for Macedonia and the messages of the European Commission led to reactions quite opposite to the last year. The report is predominantly seen as “positive”, and efforts of the Commission are welcomed. The Government has used the opportunity to qualify the Report as “the most positive ever”. Just a year ago, Commissioner Füle was subject to severe criticism, as the Government claimed the Report was used to impose pressure on Macedonia on the name dispute with Greece, and rejected as “overstressed” the criticism on judiciary, fight against corruption and freedom of expression.1 In addition, the complete omission of the adjective “Macedonian” had led to a strong reaction in the country. Of course, just the insertion of the adjective “Macedonian” (although used only in two words, naming institutions) in this year’s Report is not the only reason for a higher level of “acceptability” of the Report.