Bratislava, 31 May 2023 (MIA) – A united Europe is the only answer to the crises and challenges caused by this war, which has negative effects on the economy and energy, said Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski on Wednesday in Bratislava, where he is participating in the GLOBSEC 2023 Forum.

Kovachevski stressed that the Forum, in which there are representatives from over 65 countries, is being held at a critical time for the European continent, a time of security and many other challenges which are a result of the war in Ukraine.

“I expect that we will discuss the current challenges and the way in which we deal with the crises, as well as the importance of a united Europe, because only a united Europe can support the Ukrainian people’s fight for their independence and self-determination. Additionally, a united Europe is also the best answer to the crises and challenges caused by this war, which has negative effects on the economy and energy,” said Kovachevski.

As a responsible member of the international community, a NATO member, OSCE Chair country and a country which has begun its EU accession talks, Kovachevski stressed that North Macedonia has the duty to actively contribute to the collective responsibility for peace, building democracy and human rights, as well as nurturing goodneighborly relations, because, he said, this is the only way to have a stable and economically strong region in Europe as a whole.

“The events that happened on the European continent have irreversibly changed the world in the past year and a half. This is a signal for the governments, that if we want to win this battle from an economic and energy aspect, we have to do a lot, to act urgently, but also to have solidarity, to be united and work together. Only by doing so did we manage to tackle both the energy and economic crises during the difficult winter,” said Kovachevski.

Alongside Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, Kovachevski will address a panel on the topic “Open Roads: Balkans Back in Business”, during which, the PM said, they will discuss the importance of regional cooperation, the challenges faced by the region, but above all, the opportunities for the Western Balkan countries through the Open Balkan initiative, the Berlin Process and accelerated EU accession.

“At the panel, together with Rama, we will speak about the practical aspects of the cooperation within Open Balkan, the effects of the initiative on the economic exchange between the three countries, which has significantly grown in the past two years. We will also talk about the security context of the war in Ukraine, however, we will also talk about the developments in our region. Of course, we will call for a calming of tensions and establishing dialogue, which is the only way to have peace in Europe again, and economic prosperity as before the war,” said Kovachevski.

During the day, Kovachevski said he will hold bilateral meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron, during which, he said, they will talk about important topics related to North Macedonia’s EU accession, as well as the bilateral cooperation with France.

On Tuesday, on the sidelines of the Forum, the PM met with the EU’s Special Representative for the Western Balkans, Miroslav Lajčák.

The Forum in Bratislava is attended by heads of state and governments from Europe and the world, as well as representatives of the most significant and influential international organizations. The discussions at the Forum will focus on three themes – continuing support for Ukraine, the resilience of Europe in the face of war, as well as mitigating the global consequences of the conflict by strengthening the economic and energy chains.

The GLOBSEC 2023 Bratislava Forum has established itself as the most distinguished platform throughout the Central and Eastern European (CEE) region, and the 18th edition of the Forum aims to remind the world that the CEE region has never been more crucial to ensuring global stability.

Photo: MIA