Prime Minister Zoran Zaev met Monday with Portuguese Ambassador to North Macedonia Maria Virginia Mendes da Silva Pina.
Participants in the meeting expressed strong support from Portugal and the Portuguese EU Presidency for the European perspective of North Macedonia.
According to the Government, participants in the meeting pointed out that Portugal, as a country that builds bridges, particularly respects PM Zaev and the Government’s policies of creating solutions instead of problems.
“This includes the development of good neighborly relations with Greece and Bulgaria, as well as the work done in terms of the reform processes at home, which is why Portugal, as the country that currently holds the Presidency of the Council of the EU, believes that the Republic of North Macedonia should be part of the EU family,” reads the press release.
Zaev expressed deep gratitude for Portugal’s efforts, within the Portuguese EU Presidency, to continue the EU enlargement process through creative solutions, which North Macedonia values as a good basis in developing the relations with Bulgaria.
“We’ve shown as a country that we are a functioning multiethnic democracy, strongly committed to European values. We value the support from the EU members. But our position is that it’s time to acknowledge what the country has done through a concrete step on our European integration path,” said PM Zaev.
In addition, interlocutors agreed that there is good basis for deepening cooperation between North Macedonia and Portugal and promoting relations in economy, culture and social policies.
