North Macedonia is moving forward with its foreign policy ambition of joining the European Union. After receiving in March the long-awaited green light for the start of accession negotiations with the EU, it is now awaiting the adoption of the negotiating framework by the Council. The country enjoys the support of the German Council Presidency, which is committed to holding the first intergovernmental conference by the end of December. The European Commission has also reiterated in its annual report on the Balkan countries, North Macedonia’s readiness to advance towards the EU. Yet progress will depend on inter alia its ability to prosecute cases of high-level corruption and criminal networks and to implement judicial reforms.
The rule of law remains thus a potential deal-breaker. How can the adoption of the new Law on the Public Prosecutor’s Office help to this end? What more can the EU do to assist in safeguarding the rule of law and in advancing accountability in the justice systems of the candidate countries? How well prepared is the new government to continue its progress on the European path, while at the same time fighting the COVID-19 pandemic and its socio-economic consequences? Our speakers will discuss these and other issues.
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