European Commissioner Johannes Hahn and the three members of European Parliament involved in mediating the political talks in Macedonia said Thursday they regretted the Vienna meeting on April 22 had been called off.
"This meeting was intended to help the country find a way forward in the implementation of Przino agreement, with the participation of all signatories to the Agreement," reads the statement of Commissioner Hahn and MEPs Richard Howitt, Eduard Kukan and Ivo Vajgl.
The persisting rule of law issues in Skopje, which undermine this agreement, must be addressed without any further delay, they add.
"This concerns in particular the recent presidential pardon and the steps urgently required for the preparation of credible elections which could be recognized by the international community," reads the statement.
Hahn, Howitt, Kukan and Vajgl say they all remain strongly committed and available to assist the parties.
"However, we emphasize that the responsibility to ensure democratic progress and to make headway on the Euro-Atlantic path rests with the parties themselves, on behalf of the citizens of their own country. Now it is their turn to deliver and to define the way forward."
"We have consistently said that the breakdown of the Pržino Agreement would have very serious consequences for the country."
Hahn, Howitt, Kukan and Vajgl say they deeply regret retrograde steps that move the country further away from its aspirations towards the European Union accession.
"In the absence of any further progress, we are now forced to consider further actions to meet the requirements clearly laid out by the European Council, European Commission and European Parliament."
We also acknowledge the statements and actions by civil society in the country and express our full support for all peaceful efforts to ensure pluralism and the freedom of opinion, which are central values in all European democracies, reads the statement issued by Commissioner Hahn and MEPs Ivo Vajgl, Eduard Kukan and Richard Howitt.