Politics of the Republic of Macedonia

Much work is to be done before the EU can take in new members. That was the main message that resonated through Sofia's National Palace of Culture on Thursday, as EU and Western Balkan leaders met for the long-awaited summit.

French President Emmanuel Macron echoed this, saying that he did not favour movement before "we have all certainties and genuine reforms made".

The prime minister of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Zoran Zaev, appeared confident on Thursday of a breakthrough in talks with Greece regarding the former's name.

The prime minister of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Zoran Zaev, stressed on Wednesday that his country remains committed to NATO and European Union membership.

His comments came ahead of his crucial meeting on Thursday in Sofia with his Greek counterpart Alexis Tsipras over the name dispute between the two countries. 

Talks aimed at broadening support in parliament for Zoran Zaev's fragile government in Macedonia have entered their final phase, and the outcome should be known within the next few days or next week.

The prime minister of Macedonia has also urged all those who have the resources to invest in the production of cannabis, "because it is profitable."

He pointed out that "ethics and law in Macedonia" allow the cultivation of cannabis for medical purposes, and that eight licenses have been issued so far, while another "four or five" are under review.

Tanjug is reporting this on Thursday, citing the Albanian language website portalb.mk, which said Crvenkovski and Ivanov had been invited, "but did not attend."

Mogherini's speech, meanwhile, was covered by a large number of media outlets from Macedonia and the region.

The European Commission could recommend on Tuesday opening the accession negotiations for two Balkan countries, Albania and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, New Europe reported.

Skopje and Athens agreed this year to intensify negotiations to end the dispute blocking FYROM's accession to the European Union and NATO.

Johannes Hahn is expected to arrive in Skopje on Wednesday, just one day after the European Commission publishes its report on the country's progress, while Federica Mogherini will be in Macedonia on Thursday.

Macedonia's main opposition right-wing VMRO DPMNE party is to end its boycott of parliament next Tuesday for a vote of no-confidence in the Social Democrat-led government of Zoran Zaev.

The motion is unlikely to pass as the opposition lacks the minimum of 61 MPs needed in the 120-seat parliament to bring down the government.

Just a few days before Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias heads to Skopje, a shadow has been cast over negotiations to resolve the name dispute between Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia after it emerged that his counterpart, Nikola Dimitrov, reportedly described Greece's positions during his contacts with European Union officials as bordering on the "absurd."