The European Union is in contact with Macedonian political leaders following the latest developments in the country, said spokeswoman Maja Kocijancic. According to Kocijancic, the Commission remains concerned over President Gjorge Ivanov's decision to pardon several dozen politicians and supporters involved in the flurry of criminal charges filed in the past months, and condemns the violent opposition protests on Wednesday evening. The Union calls on all Macedonian political leaders to return to the negotiating table in order to work on implementing the political agreement that was brokered by Commissioner Johannes Hahn last summer.
"We are as you are very well aware, seriously concerned by the decision of President Ivanov to pardon a high number of officials and politicians who are subject to criminal investigations. This decision risks producing a climate of impunity, it undermines the rule of law and years of efforts within the country and by the international community and it can also exacerbate the existing protracted political crisis. The decision also undermines the important work of the Special Prosecutor and her team that was established by the Parliament as part of the Przino agreement to investigate the serious systemic issues reviewed last year. The work of Special Prosecutor must continue. And, as we've said in the past days, these actions jeopardize the Euro-Atlantic future of the country", Kocijancic said, asked by the MIA correspondent about the decision by the President, and the violent protests by the opposition SDSM party.
The spokeswoman added that the European Commission and the EEAS head Mogherini remain engaged in the crisis, and don't believe that the political agreement is now dead. "We believe there is still time to return to the negotiating table. We believe it is the responsibility of the political parties to do exactly that and to continue the very needed efforts to take the country out of the current political crisis. As far as the protests and the violence, I would remind you of the long running position that of course any violence in such places is unacceptable", Kocijancic added.
Asked about the earlier precedent, when the European Union welcomed blank pardons for members of the National Liberation Army that sparked a fierce conflict in 2001, and the contrast with the current position against political pardons, Kocijancic said that the position of the EU remains such as it is. "I outlined our positions, and this is where we stand. As I said already yesterday, and this remains to be the case today. Our contacts continue. You saw that Commissioner Hahn for example met the three members of European Parliament that were part of the facilitation efforts since last year. There are also contacts both at the level of our delegation in Skopje as well as the headquarters, so there is quite a lot going on in terms of activity, but as I said, the position is as outlined today and in the past days", Kocijancic said.
She dismissed speculative questions on whether Macedonia could lose its status as an EU candidate country, which it has held since 2005, while not opening accession talks. Kocijancic also could not say if there are plans for a new visit by Commissioner Hahn to Macedonia in the coming period, and cited the clear Euro-Atlantic aspirations of Macedonia as the context in which all the efforts are taking place.