June 1 (SeeNews) - The European Union expressed readiness on Thursday to support the reforms, which Macedonia's new centre-left coalition government as well as the opposition will have to undertake to bring the country back to its EU integration path.
"The European Union is ready to support the work that the new government, as well as the opposition, will do to constructively implement all parts of the Przino agreement and the Urgent Reform Priorities," EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and commissioner Johannes Hahn said in a joint statement.
Macedonia's parliament voted into office on Wednesday night a coalition government formed by Social Democratic Union (SDSM) leader Zoran Zaev, who vowed to boost the country's economy and speed up the EU integration process. The new government comprises representatives of SDSM and two ethnic Albanian parties, DUI and the Alliance of Albanians. Conservative VMRO-DPMNE party, which had been in power for 11 years, goes into opposition.
The EU-brokered Przino agreement and the urgent reform priorities report of the European Commission recommend reforms in the rule of law and the judiciary, electoral reforms, and enhancing the freedom of expression.
"We expect all parliamentary parties to put their divisions aside now and work jointly on delivering, from the outset, on a common reform agenda that would benefit the country in its entirety," Mogherini and Hahn said.