About: Zoran Zaev
Pressure on North Macedonia to delay elections over coronavirus
North Macedonia's ex-premier urged the country on Monday (16 March) to postpone a snap poll scheduled for mid-April because of the coronavirus, as governments around the globe struggle to balance basic freedoms with safety measures.
North Macedonia ratifies NATO accession protocol, but still waiting for Spain
North Macedonia's parliament unanimously ratified NATO's accession protocol on Tuesday (11 February), taking Skopje a step closer to becoming the military alliance's 30th member in the coming weeks.
North Macedonia PM Zaev quits before April polls
North Macedonia's Prime Minister Zoran Zaev resigned Friday (3 January) ahead of a vote in April called after the EU blocked the start of membership talks with Skopje, the key policy goal of his cabinet.
Sassoli in Skopje: ‘Don’t lose hope’
Visiting European Parliament President David Sassoli urged North Macedonia on Monday (4 October) not to lose hope after the recent failure of the European Council to reach a decision for opening EU accession talks.
EU socialists chief: North Macedonia name change deal should be ‘preserved’
When it fails to deliver its promises, the EU loses its credibility and shows little sense of historical responsibility towards the Balkans, Iratxe García, the chief of Social Democrats in the European Parliament, has said.
Skopje on fire as MEPs slam EU leaders’ failure to open accession talks
Postponing the start of accession talks with North Macedonia and Albania was a "serious mistake" and "grave error", European Council President Donald Tusk and Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker told MEPs on Tuesday, as negative effects already started showing in the Western Balkans.
Macron’s veto undermines Balkan stability, Greek MEP says
French President Emmanuel Macron's veto against the accession of North Macedonia to the EU will open the door to external influence in the Western Balkans region, according to Syriza's MEP Stelios Kouloglou.
Visegrad 4, North Macedonia in last-ditch effort to change French enlargement veto
In a last-ditch effort on Wednesday evening (16 October) before a decisive EU summit, the Visegrad Four and North Macedonian officials tried to sway the enlargement mood in Brussels.
France halts EU enlargement
France blocked the opening of accession talks with North Macedonia on Tuesday (15 October), despite the promise made by the EU to Skopje that its historic name deal with Greece, the Prespa agreement, would earn it a ticket to EU membership negotiations.
Three countries agree mini Schengen in the Balkans
Three Western Balkan EU hopefuls, Albania, North Macedonia and Serbia, have decided to advance regional cooperation by forming the so-called "mini-Schengen" in order to improve life and the economy in the region until the EU opens its doors to them.
North Macedonia president: We need date for EU talks before autumn
Decoupling North Macedonia and Albania’s EU path, by giving the green light to the former and holding the start of accession talks for the latter is not great, but is the only way forward, North Macedonia’s President Stevo Pendarovski told EURACTIV in an exclusive interview during his visit to Brussels on Thursday (13 June).
North Macedonia’s pro-Western candidate wins presidential vote
North Macedonia's pro-Western candidate, Stevo Pendarovski, won a run-off presidential vote after a campaign dominated by divisions over a change to the country's name that was agreed to mollify Greece and open the way for EU and NATO membership.
Presidential poll threatens crisis for pro-West North Macedonia government
North Macedonia goes to the polls on Sunday (5 May) in a presidential run-off vote that will be a litmus test for the pro-Western government, which has warned low turnout could invalidate the vote and trigger a general election.
North Macedonia candidates tied in first round of presidential vote
North Macedonia's pro-Western candidate, Stevo Pendarovski, and his main nationalist rival Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova emerged tied in the first round of a presidential vote on Sunfay (21 April) dominated by deep divisions over a change of the country's name under a deal with Greece.
North Macedonia presidential vote imperils Prespa agreement gains
North Macedonia holds the first round of its presidential election on Sunday (21 April), the country's first vote under a new name as it struggles with enduring economic problems, cronyism and corruption.
Greece will police North Macedonia’s airspace following historic visit
Greece and North Macedonia signed a number of crucial agreements to enhance their economic and military collaboration following a historic visit of Greek premier Alexis Tsipras to Skopje.
Tsipras pays historic visit to North Macedonia
Greece's prime minister will on Tuesday (2 April) pay a historic visit to newly renamed North Macedonia to join in marking the end of a decades-long identity row between the two countries.
Macedonia pledges more reforms to secure EU accession talks
Macedonia's prime minister said Wednesday (30 January) that in addition to changing his country's name, his government was ready to enact further reforms to speed up the start of EU accession talks.
EPP’s Weber comes out on Macedonia name change deal
Manfred Weber, the Spitzenkandidat of the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP), ended months of silence on the ongoing efforts to resolve the Greece-Macedonia name row with a couple of pithy comments on Tuesday (9 January) that appear to support the deal.
Pressure builds in Macedonia ahead of name change votes in Parliament
Macedonian lawmakers gather from Wednesday (9 January) to vote on changing their country's name to settle a decades-long dispute with Greece and open the way to NATO and EU membership.
Macedonia’s Zaev sees ‘existential dangers’ outside of Euro-Atlantic institutions
The name-change deal reached between Athens and Skopje does not turn against any other country, including Russia, and its only objective is to establish peace and stability, the prime minister of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Zoran Zaev, said on Friday (4 January).
Bulgarian deputy PM raises obstacles for Macedonia’s EU, NATO accession
Bulgarian deputy Prime Minister Krassimir Karakachanov stated on Saturday (8 December) that he would not let Macedonia join the EU and NATO, reacting to recent statements by the Macedonian PM Zoran Zaev about the Macedonian language that have also infuriated Athens.
Macedonia moves closer towards name change
Macedonia's lawmakers moved closer on Sunday (2 December) to rename the country and remove a key hurdle on the road to breaking a decades-long stalemate with Greece.