Marta Kos in Skopje: Without constitutional changes, the next step toward EU membership cannot begin

EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos said today in Skopje that constitutional changes remain the next necessary condition for launching the process of accession to the European Union. She made these comments at a joint press conference with Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski.

Responding to journalists’ questions about the guarantees that the Government of North Macedonia is seeking in order to proceed with implementing the constitutional changes, which are necessary to begin the substantive process of accession negotiations with the EU, Kos said that EU enlargement is not based on guarantees given in advance, but on trust, commitments, dedication, delivery and work.

She said she is not the person who can give advice on how trust is built with neighbors, but stressed that the greater this trust is, the easier progress in the accession process becomes. According to her, this process does not involve only the technical side and the reforms that need to be carried out, but is also linked to the political dynamics in the member states.

Kos underlined that trust can be built not only through kind words, but also through good deeds. According to her, this is achieved by avoiding actions and statements that could increase tensions, by respecting international law, by resolving disputes peacefully and by cooperating on shared issues. She added that there are many such shared issues in the EU.

In the end, Marta Kos stressed that building trust helps regional stability and that this is not linked only to one member state, but to building trust with all twenty-seven member states, Kos said./Telegrafi/