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European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR)
News article11 May 2015Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations

Statement by Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement, Johannes Hahn regarding recent developments in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

Brussels, (11 May 2015) - We are all concerned about what has happened during the week-end and condemn any form of violence. We would like to offer our deep condolences to the families of the people who lost their lives.  

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Brussels, (11 May 2015) - We are all concerned about what has happened during the week-end and condemn any form of violence. We would like to offer our deep condolences to the families of the people who lost their lives.

We urge all involved parties and actors to collaborate in clarifying what has happened, who is responsible for this, and to act united on this issue.

Secondly, this attack should not distract from the very serious internal political situation in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia which we have urged the government but also the opposition party to start resolving and to start cooperating. This should not be seen as an opportunity to delay a resolution of the fundamental problem the country is currently facing.

Thirdly this event should not be used to create any further complexity by introducing ethnic tensions into this situation, also this should be avoided, I really ask everybody, the responsible people in the country and in the neighbourhood to act, in a reflected, united, targeted and transparent and traceable way.

For the time being a mission to Skopje is not foreseen, but in my job I have to be flexible so it's not excluded.