SKOPJE (Macedonia), July 18 (SeeNews) – The European Commission said on Wednesday it initialled a draft status agreement with Macedonia, aiming to assist the Western Balkan country in border management in case of migrant influx.
Once in force, the agreement will allow teams from the EU's border agency Frontex to carry out joint operations with and within Macedonia, especially in the event of sudden migratory challenges, the European Commission said in a statement, following a meeting between EU commissioner for migration Dimitris Avramopoulos and Macedonia’s interior minister Oliver Spasovski.
“This agreement will allow the European Border and Coast Guard Agency to fully exercise its potential, reacting swiftly to migratory challenges and protecting our common borders," Avramopoulos added.
The draft status agreement with Macedonia is the second negotiation concluded between the EU and its partners in the Western Balkans, following an agreement with Albania in February 2018. A draft status agreement with Montenegro was agreed at technical level in April 2018, and negotiations are ongoing with Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Closer cooperation between the Agency and Western Balkan partners is also a core element of the Commission's strategy for 'A credible enlargement perspective for and enhanced EU engagement with the Western Balkans', which highlights the Western Balkans' European future and calls for enhanced strategic and operational cooperation on migration and border management.
Last month, the Council of the EU decided to set out the path for opening accession negotiations with Macedonia in June 2019.
The Council granted the status of EU candidate country to Macedonia in 2015.