“ The European Economic Zone is acceptable only if it is an addition and inter-zone to our full membership in the European Union,” said the President of the Republic of Macedonia, Stevo Pendarovski in an interview with MIA. The head of state commented on the article published in the German FAZ, according to which the real chances of the Western Balkan countries to gain full membership in the EU are reduced to a minimum, and the old-new alternative offered is membership in the European Economic Zone. President Pendarovski emphasized that the European Economic Zone offers economic opportunities and opens the country to the common European market, but what is needed is not only economy and profit, but democracy and political experience. He added that Croatia also went through the European Economic Zone, but the country never stopped negotiating for EU membership and was never offered only the first option, as a substitute for full membership.