Portugal’s EU presidency considers the enlargement process a crucial issue and will do everything in its power to intensify the dialogue for approving the negotiating framework and for opening of the accession negotiations between the EU and North Macedonia, Portuguese Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva told Deputy PM Nikola Dimitrov and Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani at a meeting in Brussels.

The officials discussed the program and priorities of the Portuguese EU presidency with an emphasis on expectations involving the enlargement process in the period to come, the government said in a press release Tuesday.

“Opening North Macedonia’s European dossier, the officials from the two countries shared views on future steps that could take place during the Portuguese EU presidency,” stated the press release.

Dimitrov and Osmani insisted that focus must be reinstated on the EU integration process, especially involving North Macedonia, which in March 2020 was approved by all member states to start negotiating. They said the country is committed to implementing reforms, noting that a clear perspective as a future member of the EU will give boost to reforms and the application of European values at home.

FM Silva presented the priorities of the Portuguese EU presidency focused on social, digital and green Europe; increased confidence into the European social model; promotion of the bloc based on joint values, solidarity, transformation and cohesion, and a bloc having the capacity to organize a coordinated action for recovery from the COVID-19 crisis.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of Monday’s Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels.

Deputy PM Dimitrov, who is in charge of European affairs, and FM Osmani on Tuesday are scheduled to meet with High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, EU Special Envoy Miroslav Lajcak, and officials of the Directorate General for Neighborhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR).