There’s no other alternative but the EU future. We want to Europeanize our countries, Skopje, Pristina, Belgrade, Tirana, Podgorica and Sarajevo – we all want to feel the benefits at home, Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said addressing The Economist conference in Athens.
“We are like an island surrounded by EU countries and unification of the bloc is necessary,” he stated.
PM Zaev on Friday took part in a panel on strengthening cooperation and solidarity in SEE, EU enlargement, on trade and investments as well as initiatives on peace and better understanding as part of the “25th Roundtable with the Government on Greece”, titled “From social distancing to social solidarity”, MIA’s Athens correspondent reports.
Speaking at the event, he underlined the importance of regional and economic cooperation especially during the pandemic and the advantage from the countries working together. Zaev also mentioned the opportunities North Macedonia is offering for investments all the while emphasizing the agreement due to be signed later today by North Macedonia and Greece involving a natural gas interconnector.
He called it a mammoth project estimated at nearly EUR 100 million. “EUR 54 million is in North Macedonia. It’s a natural gas interconnector opening opportunities not only for North Macedonia, but also for Serbia, Kosovo, the Western Balkans because it will introduce diversification of natural gas,” Zaev said noting the country has becoming an energy corridor for Western Balkan countries.
Referring to North Macedonia’s European perspective, the PM said there’s no room for frustration, stressing that the region has no other alternative.
“The European Union 12 times confirmed we’d met the criteria required for EU accession 100%,” Zaev said adding that the country has done better in implementing certain reforms, such as the judiciary, than some EU members.
All countries in the region, including North Macedonia, PM Zaev said, have been following the European agenda, including climate change and green energy.
He welcomed the EU’s investment plan for the Western Balkans estimated at EUR nine billion.
“We’re trying to open new green lanes with our neighbors. I’m very happy because Greece is the first country that has opened green lanes with us. I’m also very grateful that PM Mitsotakis has made the first step to open the first Greek corridor and encourage other member countries to follow his example, the example of Greece,” stated Zaev.
Growth expected in first half of 2021
It is evident that North Macedonia and the Western Balkans in general is recovering, according to Zaev. “We’re finally recording positive growth rates.”
“We expect growth between 5.5% and 6.5% in the first half of 2021, which is more than the average in EU countries. It is also encouraging to attract investments,” said the head of the government.
Speaking about investments, Zaev said North Macedonia has been developing tools for attracting investments especially in the midst of the pandemic. He also presented the investment conditions in the country.
There were five new investments during the pandemic alone, he noted. “I want to stress that everything that had happened in North Macedonia, economically speaking, is very evident especially after the Prespa Agreement,” the PM said.
The pandemic taught us to improve cooperation and solidarity in the region
On the pandemic, PM Zaev said it has proven how important it is for the countries to help each other, cooperate “not only by sharing experience related to the healthcare system, but also to have economic cooperation.”
The economy mustn’t be neglected due to the pandemic, he stressed.
“In the Western Balkans we’re developing practical tools to cooperate together and also with EU members in the Western Balkans. Solidarity increased, we’d helped each other with vaccine rollout. As you may know, Balkan hopefuls to join the EU don’t have enough vaccines. The first batches of vaccines came from EU members,” Zaev said.
PM Zaev is due to attend a signing of an agreement on natural has interconnector between North Macedonia and Greece.
