Skopje, 3 October 2023 (MIA) — If North Macedonia becomes an EU member, everything will change regarding prices and agriculture; it would gain access to common markets and have more opportunities, German Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture Cem Özdemir told a news conference Tuesday after his meeting with Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy Ljupcho Nikolovski.

The German federal minister also said Germany wanted North Macedonia to become a full EU member as soon as possible.

"For the Federal Republic of Germany, it is clear that North Macedonia's future is in the EU and I would like, as Minister of Food and Agriculture, to express my respect for the efforts made by your government and your country on the path to the EU," Özdemir told reporters.

"This path is not really simple or short," he continued. "War is back in Europe again, given Putin's aggression against Ukraine. All this shows that cooperation between countries is highly important, and dictatorships do not want this kind of cooperation to exist.

"Germany supports North Macedonia's accession process and we will do everything we can to support you on your way to full EU membership," the German minister said.

Speaking about inflation, he said there was a decline in Germany, although prices were still higher than they were before the war in Ukraine.

"All this is related to the Russian aggression against Ukraine. It led to rising costs. Energy became more expensive, and this had an impact on inflation. So it is not something that related to internal politics, but, among other things, to the war in Ukraine," Özdemir said.

"It is in our common interest for this war to end. Not only so Ukraine can regain part of its territorial integrity and for the good of Ukrainian people, but with the hope that this would make inflation drop and stabilize prices," he told reporters.

"Speaking about prices," he continued, "things would be different if your country had access to and was part of the EU common markets. Things would be very different if the country was a full member of the EU. Then agriculture would be in a much better place. It would have access to those markets and it would have more opportunities."

"But of course there are actors who don't want this and who think it's not in their interest, like Russia. It doesn't want the country joining the EU.

"Whereas Germany has a clear position and wants to see North Macedonia becoming a full EU member as soon as possible," Özdemir said. mr/