Johannes Hahn

Zaev said this at a joint press conference with EU Commissioner Johannes Hahn in Skopje, when a journalist asked him to comment on the reaction of the Russian Foreign Ministry in connection with allegations that Russian businessmen were involved in the destabilization of Macedonia.

The Macedonian prime minister added that Macedonia's strategic goal is cooperation with Russia.

The European Union's enlargement commissioner has arrived in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) to formally announce the start of preparations for the Balkan country to open accession talks with the bloc next year.

Macedonia this week is starting the technical screening process to assess its readiness for EU accession talks, which, according to plan, could start in June next year.

On his arrival on Skopje on Tuesday, Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn will meet Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, Parliament Speaker Talat Xhaferi and the main opposition VMRO DPMNE party leader Hristijan Mickovski.

The European Union should end accession negotiations with Turkey and pursue a different kind of cooperation with the country, Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz told Kathimerini in an interview published on Sunday.

A spokesman for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Commissioner Johannes Hahn clarified on Wednesday that the EU official did not suggest a border change between Greece and Albania in remarks made at a Balkans conference earlier in the day.

"In no way did Commissioner Hahn refer to a border change," the spokesman said, replying to a question by Kathimerini.

European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Commissioner Johannes Hahn sparked controversy in local media Wednesday after suggesting that negotiations between Albania and Greece to delineate maritime borders in the Ionian sea could lead to a "restructuring of borders."

The summit in London will bring together the leaders of the Western Balkans and most European officials who will discuss economic cooperation with a focus on the region, the security and challenges of the migrant crisis, the future of the "Berlin Process" and the current political developments in the region.

The European Commission on Wednesday blocked financial assistance for Moldova after the country's Supreme Court and the Electoral Commission last week cancelled the mayoral elections in the capital, Chisinau.

"The disbursement of the first tranche under the current Macro-Financial Assistance programme has ... been put on hold," the European Commission told BIRN on Wednesday.

He stressed that "not everyone wants s compromise, bearing in mind the views that are being presented, including some made today."

Vucic stressed at a joint press conference with EU Commissioner Johannes Hahn that, despite all this, "we will do everything to reach a compromise."

Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn said the European Commission would immediately start the preparations that would hopefully lead to opening EU accession talks for Macedonia and Albania in mid-2019.