Skopje, 8 September 2022 (MIA) – We had faced many challenges, but today we are a NATO member country that has started EU accession negotiations, said Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski told reporters on Thursday during his visit to the “September 8” City Hospital. “We declared independence 31 years ago, the citizens voted in favour in a referendum for a free, sovereign, independent Macedonia, a country that went through social and economic transformation, we were a country that was about to introduce its own currency, the denar, a country that was about to form practically from nothing its own public administration, its own independent army, but at the same time working on the realization of the strategic goals of the state. At the time of the formation of the state, we opted for NATO and EU membership. Along the way, we had to make difficult decisions, not for our own sake, often because of geopolitical and regional influences. However, the citizens together with the politicians who were always progressive, those who made difficult decisions and today we are a member of NATO, and we have started EU accession negotiations,” Kovachevski said. PM Kovachevski underlined that despite the changes in the economic, social and social system, the country has also undergone major changes in the industry. He added that during these 31 years of independence, we have overcome many challenges, such as the embargo from Greece, the assassination of President Kiro Gligorov, and then the plane accident in which President Boris Trajkovski died. “In 2001, we had armed conflict in the country, but with the help of dialogue, unity, rational behavior of far-sighted and progressive politicians in the country, today we are a country that has resolved all open issues with its neighbors. We joined NATO and we will become a member of the EU by 2030 as well, these are great achievements above all of the Macedonian citizens, regardless of their ethnic, political or any other affiliation,” Kovachevski added.