The Prime Minister of the Republic of North Macedonia, Dimitar Kovacevski, as part of his program of activities during the Prespa Forum Dialogue, today met with the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, informs the government press service.
At the meeting, which was attended by Deputy Prime Minister in charge of European Affairs Bojan Maricic and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bujar Osmani, the geopolitical challenges that have been brought about by the Russian aggression on Ukraine were discussed, due to which accelerating the EU integration of the Western Balkans has become an issue of top priority, particularly strengthening the resistance of the region to the influence of third parties. Prime Minister Kovacevski, at the meeting with the President of the European Council Charles Michel, outlined that North Macedonia has fully met the conditions for the start of negotiations and based on which the recommendation for an unconditional start for the opening of the chapters in March 2020 has been adopted.
At the meeting, Kovacevski and Michel also talked about the participation of the Republic of North Macedonia in several regional projects supported by the EU, especially in the area of energy cooperation, such as the gas interconnector with Greece, the gas plant in Alexandropoulos and the gas connection with Serbia and Kosovo, which are supported by funds of the EU Economic Investment Plan.
Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski and President of the European Council Charles Michel also discussed the benefits of the Open Balkan Initiative for establishing a common and connected regional market based on the four freedoms of the EU for free movement of people, capital, goods and services, as significant steps for the implementation of EU standards.
In terms of Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine, Prime Minister Kovacevski pointed out that North Macedonia, as a NATO member country, has fully harmonized its policies with the Alliance and with the EU, has fulfilled its obligations and continues to act fully in line with the policies of the European Union, with which it has once again shown that it is a worthy partner of the European states, EU member states.
Translation: N. Cvetkovska
