(ANSA) - BRUXELLES, 19 MAR - EU High Representative Federica Mogherini is "confident" that EU leaders will back the opening of membership talks with North Macedonia next June. "Our joint objective is to have a green light in June to start negotiations", EU High Representative said at the end of the EU-Northern Macedonia Stabilization and Association Council in Brussels, explaining that she expects "the Council welcome the major steps" made by Skopje.

Mogherini also denied a possible opposition of France to the opening of the negotiations, reiterating to expect a "positive decision" by EU leaders, who are called to agree unanimously. "I think" the EU leaders "will have good material to take a positive decision" on Macedonia's path towards the EU, she said.

The High Representative recalled the important results achieved by the Zoran Zaev government both in terms of bilateral relations (thanks to the historic agreements with Greece and Bulgaria), and in the reform agenda requested by the EU, with "a number of key texts" that "have been adopted, such as the law on the fight against corruption and the conflict of interests or the law on the prevention of discrimination". (ANSA).