Skopje, 15 March 2023 (MIA) - Members of the North Macedonia-EU Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) met Wednesday with Tonino Picula, Member of the European Parliament (MEP) and Coordinator of the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, and Dutch MEP Thijs Reuten, on the first day of the visit to the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

The delegation consists of Sonja Mirakovska, Zhaklina Lazarevska, Bajram Kadrija, Zhaklina Peshevska and Maja Morachanin, the Parliament said in a press release.

During the meetings, the delegation members expressed gratitude to the European Parliament, which has shown continuous and strong support to North Macedonia's European perspective, as well as expectations that it will continue until North Macedonia achieves full-fledged membership.

The MPs mentioned that the screening process is in the advanced stage and they expressed readiness to fulfil all conditions that arise from it.

In regard to the draft resolution by North Macedonia Rapporteur Ilhan Kyuchyuk, it was judged it expresses praise in an objective way, but it also notes the areas where improvement is necessary. Lawmakers expressed hope that the final version of the resolution would reflect the real conditions in the country, and they regret that so much energy was wasted on solving political bilateral issues instead of focusing on reforms.

The MEPs are convinced that the final document will express the European Parliament's full support.

In the exchange of opinions, MEP Picula shared Croatia's experience and the challenges it had to overcome to become a member of the Union. Picula expressed the need for enlargement to remain high on the agenda and he also spoke about the need to change the decision-making process with a consensus to only be applied upon accession, and for the qualified majority method to be used for opening and closing clusters and individual chapters.

MEP Reuten wants to see North Macedonia in the EU, and he is ready to participate in activities that will share the benefits of full-fledged membership to the wider public. He says that North Macedonia is already part of the family, it just needs to be finalized. dk/ik/

Photo: Parliament

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