French Ambassador Le Rigoleur: Implementation of the compromise and real reforms are key to progress toward the EU

He emphasizes that gradual integration should not be seen as a substitute for membership, but as a way to better connect reforms with the concrete benefits that candidate countries can receive before full accession to the EU.

 

French Ambassador to North Macedonia Christophe Le Rigoleur, in an interview with Portalb.mk, says that the French-German proposal for the gradual integration of candidate countries into the European Union does not mean creating an intermediate status or a ‘second league’ for the Western Balkan countries. On the contrary, according to him, the goal of France and Germany is to give the enlargement process new momentum and to enable candidate countries, including North Macedonia, to benefit more on their path toward full membership.

“This initiative, the French-German non-paper you are referring to, has several meanings. The first meaning is important because it shows that France and Germany are mobilizing and believe in enlargement. The idea is precisely to give new dynamics and momentum to this enlargement process, which we see is complicated in some countries and will require more time than expected,” Le Rigoleur said.

He emphasizes that gradual integration should not be seen as a substitute for membership, but as a way to better connect reforms with the concrete benefits that candidate countries can receive before full accession to the EU.

“By working on this process of gradual integration, reforms are encouraged, but the reform work is also better connected with the benefits of the path toward the EU. The idea is to implement and support the policies that states undertake for reforms, as well as to help countries move forward and accelerate the pace of reforms,” the French ambassador stated.

Le Rigoleur clarifies that this document does not imply the creation of a second status for countries aspiring to EU membership.

“This non-paper does not mean that a second status will be created, meaning that there will be EU member states that will not become full members but will have only an intermediate status. That is not the plan, because the vision we have in Paris and Berlin is clear: the full integration of the Western Balkan countries and North Macedonia,” he said.

Asked whether this means there will be no ‘second league,’ the ambassador answered firmly that this is not the goal of the proposal.

“No, it is not a second league at all, and we do not want to create such a division or a second league. We must all be united in the same league, working together according to the same rules, values and goals for European sovereignty, security and prosperity for our population,” Le Rigoleur said.

According to the ambassador, EU enlargement today also has strategic importance because of the rapid geopolitical changes and security challenges Europe is facing. He says France and Germany want the Western Balkan countries to integrate into the EU more quickly because Europe must be more united and stronger.

“We are in a world that is changing quickly and is dangerous. This is a world in which we Europeans have strategic competitors who do not always wish us well, and it is necessary for us to unite in order to be stronger in defending our values and the democracy of our societies,” the ambassador stressed.

Speaking about the citizens of North Macedonia, who are tired of the long wait at the doors of the European Union, Le Rigoleur says the EU’s message remains clear: reforms must continue. He also referred to the message of the Swedish ambassador to the country, who earlier, in an interview with Portalb.mk, said that the key to membership is ‘reforms, reforms, reforms.’

“Of course, I will not repeat what my Swedish colleague said, but he is completely right because reforms are an important element, one of the essential principles, and this is also found in the non-paper regarding the merit-based assessment of each candidate country. North Macedonia has adopted a Reform Agenda, but it is important to continue on the path of reforms,” Le Rigoleur stated.

He adds that reforms are not only a formal requirement from Brussels, but part of the agreement between North Macedonia and the EU, linked also to the financial support the country receives from the European Union.

“Our message is very clear and consistent: whatever the specific nature of North Macedonia’s European path may be, reforms must be implemented because the country has undertaken obligations. This is part of the path of approximation toward the EU and part of the agreement between the European Union and North Macedonia, because on one side there is the reform process and on the other there is the support provided by the EU, especially financial support,” the ambassador said.

One of the key issues for North Macedonia’s European path remains the 2022 compromise, known publicly as the French proposal, as well as the obligations arising from it in relation to the negotiation process. Le Rigoleur insists that this compromise is not a bilateral agreement with Bulgaria, but a text signed between North Macedonia and the European Union.

“A little semantics. To be precise, the 2022 compromise is not a Bulgarian compromise, but a text that was signed between North Macedonia and the European Union. And with that text, North Macedonia undertakes obligations toward the European Union,” the French ambassador said.

He is clear that this document will not be reopened for negotiations, regardless of the political demands that occasionally come from politicians in the country.

“I would truly like to speak as a friend of the Macedonians and of North Macedonia. I think we must be realistic: the 2022 compromise will not be reopened and will not be negotiated again. Renegotiating this 2022 compromise would lead us to only one result: all of us would lose time. I do not think this is a good idea,” Le Rigoleur stated.

According to him, the way forward is not renegotiation, but finding a way to implement the compromise in a politically acceptable manner and within a reasonable timeframe.

“What we want to work on is finding ways not to negotiate again, but to implement it, by trying to find support so that it can be politically accepted and made possible within a reasonable timeframe. We know that the 2022 compromise is complex and complicated, with elements that appear one after another, and we know that it is not always simple,” he said.

The French ambassador stresses that, for this reason, sincere, open and calm dialogue between Skopje and Sofia is necessary. He assesses that after the formation of the new government in Bulgaria, there are initial signs of renewed bilateral communication, including high-level meetings and contacts.

“Our position is constantly the same: we need sincere, open and calm dialogue between Skopje and Sofia. We note with satisfaction that since the new government took office in Sofia, there have been first gestures and first meetings for bilateral talks,” Le Rigoleur said.

However, he warns that the process will not be easy and that there may be provocations from actors who do not want relations between the two countries to improve.

“We must remain optimistic, and what I observe is that slowly there is a dynamic and a renewal of bilateral talks. This does not mean that everything has been resolved and that it will be easy to resolve, but the most important thing is to talk to each other and to say things to each other directly,” the ambassador said.

He adds that there should be no naivety because, according to him, in both countries there may be individuals and environments that do not want the normalization of relations.

“There will most likely be provocations, reckless statements, accusations and so on. Therefore, we must all be reasonable about this, manage it calmly and with maturity, so that everyone — Macedonian, Bulgarian and also European politicians who accompany this dialogue — is ready to commit sincerely and enter into a credible dialogue,” Le Rigoleur stated.

Another important topic for North Macedonia, according to the ambassador, is disinformation. He says that the blocked path toward the EU creates space for actors who can exploit citizens’ frustration through manipulative campaigns.

“We take the issue of information manipulation and disinformation seriously in France, because we see, and we are not the only ones, that disinformation is not just a secondary phenomenon of some things happening on TikTok and Instagram, but can potentially become a powerful political weapon that can endanger all societies, cause military conflicts and lead to people being killed,” the ambassador said.

He adds that disinformation today can be used as a non-military instrument against states, institutions and citizens.

“Today, disinformation is a non-military tool that can be used against states, societies and individuals. When we know that disinformation can be used as a kind of weapon, we must strengthen our defense against this phenomenon,” Le Rigoleur stressed.

France, according to him, has created the ‘Viginum’ structure, which monitors and responds to foreign digital interference. He emphasized that such interference is particularly sensitive during electoral processes. As an example, he mentioned France’s decision not to allow electronic voting in the 2027 presidential elections because of security risks.

“At the national level, we have introduced a structure called Viginum, which specializes in monitoring, identifying and responding to foreign digital interference. We know that foreign digital interference is very important, especially in electoral processes,” the French ambassador said.

In North Macedonia, he says, France will continue to support initiatives for media literacy, independent investigative journalism and the fight against information manipulation.

“In North Macedonia, we support certain initiatives and we will have other programs during the coming year for media literacy, strengthening independent investigative journalism and fighting information manipulation. Ultimately, this fight is a democratic challenge and it affects everyone: the state, citizens, journalists, the media, but also civil society,” Le Rigoleur said.

Regarding reforms and the Growth Plan, the French ambassador says that since the beginning of 2026 there has been a visible acceleration of reforms, which enabled the European Union to unblock 65 million euros. However, he warns that the country must continue carefully and with real results, especially in the rule of law, the fight against corruption and the independence of the judiciary.

“There is a real acceleration of reforms that has been visible since the beginning of 2026, which led the EU to unblock 65 million euros under the Growth Plan. All of this is evidence that a positive dynamic is being implemented. But we remain cautious and continue to support the reform process,” Le Rigoleur said.

He adds that France has three technical experts working in the key ministries for the implementation of reforms, with the aim of supporting the country on its path toward the EU.

“France has three technical experts who operate in the three key ministries for the implementation of reforms, and they are here to help with their experience and expertise in implementing reforms and on the path toward the EU. We remain cautious,” the ambassador stated.

According to him, adopting laws is not enough if they are not implemented in practice. He says that, in the end, it is the citizens of North Macedonia who will assess whether reforms have delivered results.

“It is good to adopt laws, but it is even better for them to be implemented. This is something we pay attention to, and it is a democratic need in a democratic country such as this one. The citizens of this country will also have to assess whether the reforms have been implemented,” Le Rigoleur said.

In the interview, the ambassador also spoke about France’s position on Ukraine, emphasizing that support for Kyiv has remained unchanged since the beginning of the war.

“Regarding the conflict in Ukraine, our position has been consistent from the very beginning. We consider this war unjustified, and we will support Ukraine for as long as necessary in defense of its sovereignty and in defense of its population,” he said.

Le Rigoleur also briefly spoke about France’s role in international security, emphasizing that as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, France has responsibility for global peace and stability. He mentioned the role of the French Navy in enforcing sanctions against Russia, as well as Paris’s readiness to contribute to guaranteeing freedom of navigation in strategic areas such as the Strait of Hormuz.

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