Macedonia unlikely to start EU talks this year

Macedonia does not seem ready at this stage to open accession talks with the EU before the end of the year, as initially hoped, EU enlargement commissioner Olli Rehn has said.

"We will give our opinion on 5 November, but for the moment, it seems difficult to me to advise to open [EU] accession negotiations" with Macedonia, Mr Rehn told French news agency AFP on Monday (20 October).

The European Commission will on 5 November publish its annual reports on progress accomplished by EU...