SKOPJE -- NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says he has assured North Macedonia’s Prime Minister Zoran Zaev that the country's accession process is "well on track," days after the European Union failed to initiate membership talks with Skopje.
Stoltenberg tweeted on October 21 that he had phoned Zaev to "reaffirm NATO's commitment to North Macedonia's accession," adding that the "the ratification process is well on track & I look forward to North Macedonia joining our Alliance soon."
North Macedonia was granted a protocol on accession to NATO membership in February, after a 2018 agreement with Greece that changed the former Yugoslav republic's name from Macedonia, resolving a decades-long dispute between Skopje and Athens.
So far, 24 of NATO’s 29 member states have ratified the accession protocol.
Zaev received a major setback on October 18 after a handful of EU countries again blocked membership talks for North Macedonia as well as Albania.
That led the prime minister to call snap general elections, saying he wanted voters to decide on which path they wanted their country to take following what he called the EU's "historic mistake."
On October 19, Zaev announced that the leaders of the country's main political parties had agreed the "most suitable" date for the vote would be April 12.
The main goal of the leader of North Macedonia's Social Democrats since coming to power in 2017 has been to gain EU and NATO membership.
North Macedonia's NATO Accession Process 'Well On Track,' Stoltenberg Tells PM
Related
RFE/RL has been declared an "undesirable organization" by the Russian government.
If you are in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine and hold a Russian passport or are a stateless person residing permanently in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine, please note that you could face fines or imprisonment for sharing, liking, commenting on, or saving our content, or for contacting us.
To find out more, click here.
Editors' Picks
Top Trending
1
Exclusive: The TikTok Trail Of The U.S. Soldier Arrested In Russia Left By His Russian 'Wife'
2Kazakh Billionaire Buys English Soccer Club
32 U.S. Citizens, Including Soldier, Join List Of Americans Being Held In Russia
4Russia Claims Control Over Eastern Ukrainian Town, As Rocket Strikes Kill 3
5Kazakh Ex-Minister Insists In Court He Had No Intention To Kill Wife
6North Macedonia Ruling Party Concedes As Opposition Wins Dual Votes
7Chinese-Made Surveillance Cameras Are Spreading Across Eastern Europe, Despite Security Concerns
8All 5 Central Asian Leaders To Attend Victory Day Parade In Moscow
9North Macedonia's New President Prefers The Country's Old Name
10What Is Behind Serbia And China's 'Ironclad Friendship'?
Subscribe