High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini and Commissioner Johannes Hahn gave a statement Wednesday on the mandate given to Zoran Zaev to form the government of Macedonia.

“We welcome the decision of President Ivanov to give the mandate to form a government to Mr. Zaev as an important step in the process of government formation. We hope that this constructive spirit will continue to prevail so that the country can finally come out of the political crisis.  We expect now a swift formation of the government committed to implementing all parts of the Przino agreement and the Urgent Reform Priorities,” they stated.

They added that they call on all parliamentary parties to put their divisions aside and work jointly on a common reform agenda, to bring the country back on its Euro-Atlantic integration path.

“This is what the people want and deserve,” EU officials pointed out.

“We stand ready to support the new government in its reform efforts,” they concluded.