Plenkovic strongly supported Macedonia's European path, saying that he regretted that Macedonia, which initialled its EU Stabilisation and Association Agreement at a summit in Zagreb in 2000, had not yet opened its EU membership negotiations, despite six recommendations of the European Commission. Plenkovic stressed this was bad, adding that frustrations caused by the stalling of its EU integration process and blocking of its accession to NATO in 2008, were some of the causes of the recent events in Macedonia.
Plenkovic is confident that Macedonia's opposition should take part in the work of the national parliament instead of boycotting it for months. At the same time, the ruling party should, in present circumstances, show political responsibility for detrimental developments, he said, extending his condolences for those killed in a recent terrorist attack in Kumanovo. Plenkovic also underscored that ethnic Albanian parties had not supported the provocations.
The Croatian MEP concluded his speech by saying that a great responsibility laid on the European Union to efficiently accelerate Macedonia's European path.