“During the period of time covered by the European Commission’s spring report on FYROM, significant backsliding was seen in Skopje.
This backslide is due, to a large extent, to the political crisis that began this past December. But essentially, this situation is due to, and is a crisis in, the functioning of democratic institutions. In other words, there is a democratic deficit.
In our remarks, we pointed up the serious shortfalls in Skopje on issues of the freedom of the news media, separation of powers, and political pluralism. Shortfalls and factors, that is, that concern the Copenhagen political criteria and the core of the conditionality of the accession process.
Regarding good neighbourly relations, we made it clear to everyone that the problems continued and worsened.
The bar of the European criteria must not and will not be lowered. Europe’s message is clear. Otherwise, we should be certain that we can expect further negative developments.
And that is not in Europe’s interest, it is not in Greece’s interest, and it is not in the interest of our neighbouring country itself.
This is one message that everyone needs to understand.”