North Macedonia calls snap election after EU talks setback

Image caption "I am angry," Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said on Saturday



"We are the victims of the EU's historical mistake," said Mr Zaev.

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker - and other European leaders - have used the same phrase to voice criticism of the summit outcome.

EU Council President Donald Tusk said: "It's not a failure, it's a mistake. I feel really embarrassed."


What's North Macedonia doing next?


"I am disappointed and angry and I know that the entire population feels this way," Mr Zaev said on Saturday, announcing the snap election.

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Media captionEuropean Council leader Donald Tusk lashes out at EU leaders: "Personally I think it was a mistake."

He said Macedonians would now "decide the road we are going to take", without specifying what he would recommend.


Why did France oppose the move?


Defending his position, President Macron said the accession process itself had to be reformed and the EU "should do more to help those countries develop, not just make pledges".


The European Commission said in May that Albania and North Macedonia had both made sufficient progress. Both countries have official "candidate" status in their EU membership bids.

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German Chancellor Angela Merkel said there was "disappointment" over the summit decision but the matter would be revisited before a summit on the Western Balkans early next year.

Mrs Merkel championed North Macedonia's cause earlier this year when it agreed to change its name from Macedonia to settle a row with Greece.


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