Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2014-02-05-Speech-3-804-000"
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"en.20140205.71.3-804-000"2
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"Mr President, once again, tonight I am proud to present a report to the European Parliament, standing alongside the European Commission, to recommend an immediate start to EU accession talks with Skopje. Having been graciously asked by the European Commissioner to help broker the 1 March agreement, I also take great pride in seeing the competing parties able to find consensus on the electoral code, the resumption in the dialogue between the government and journalists, and this year’s budget having been agreed through a completely normal parliamentary process.
In my resolution, you will find critical proposals: that the commitments must be honoured in full, for greater efforts in relation to integrated education, my concerns about the continuing risk to good inter-ethnic relations and about perceptions of selective justice; but my main concern remains how to advance the accession process. As rapporteur, I want this European Parliament to make a difference and, in doing so, to demonstrate that a difference can be made. That is why, this year, I propose that the European Commission make this the first country in the region to be awarded functioning market economy status.
This is a country rising up the index of economic freedom published in the Wall Street Journal last month, ahead of no less than 13 countries which are already European Union Member States. Yes, long-term unemployment and the quality of the justice system require further reforms, but the awarding of this status can help secure necessary foreign investment and present an opportunity entirely within the prerogative of the Commission, to make a concrete step forward.
Mr President, on good neighbourly relations, I acknowledge support for the country’s EU accession, expressed by our former colleague, Kristian Vigenin, now Bulgarian Foreign Minister, during his very important visit to Skopje last month. I also very much welcome my private meeting this morning with Greek Foreign Minister Venizelos in advance of his own visit to Skopje, and our constructive and respectful exchange on a series of ideas for moving the process forward, which I hope he may be able to pursue. A decade after a previous Greek Presidency convened the Thessaloniki Summit, which set out a European Union perspective for all of the countries of the Western Balkans, this year’s Presidency would seem to be the ideal time to renew that pledge for the country which is arguably most held up in the process.
On the name issue, I have always sought to resist statements in Parliament which might complicate the resolution of the dispute, but this year – after nearly twenty years of efforts – my report does, for the first time, cast doubt on the credibility of the UN framework to resolve the name dispute. I hope all the actors involved will prove this wrong.
In conclusion, I do not deflect the responsibilities on and in the country itself, but for this country the European Parliament does call on all Members..."@en1
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