Skopje, 23 November 2022 (MIA) – The first step to “accelerated integration” has been made in the chapter of Justice, Freedom and Security. We asked that North Macedonia joins the European Migration Network, which is another proof of the proper readiness in this area and commitment of the Macedonian negotiating team to the process, said Deputy PM for European Affairs Bojan Marichikj at the end of the screening on Chapter 24 in Brussels on Wednesday. Members of the Macedonian working group presented the position and the degree of alignment of the country’s legal system with the EU acquis, related to the judicial cooperation in civil affairs and commercial matters, as well as judicial cooperation in criminal matters, confiscation and freezing of assets, the Secretariat for European Affairs said in a press release. Deputy PM Marichikj, who is also the country’s chief negotiator with the EU, expects negotiations to resume with the current pace, adding that Chapter 24 is the area where cooperation has been existing for years in the field of asylum, migrations and visa regime and where things change fast. According to him, the migration wave in 2015 and 2016 and the Ukraine crisis has demonstrated the cooperation with EU, crowned by the Frontex agreement that was recently signed in Skopje. “Accelerated integration” is the new element that ensures participation of candidate-states in EU legislation, ahead of their Union accession. During the bilateral screening, the country can show interest to participate in the acquis, such as participation in Union programmes, expert groups, working groups and formats, IT systems, information exchange. Over the past three days, members of the working group delivered 56 presentations on 12 topics related to migration, asylum, judicial cooperation in civil affairs, cooperation in the fight against drugs, cooperation in the fields of customs, visa policy, police cooperation and fight against organized crime, cooperation of financial intelligence units, organized crime, judicial cooperation in criminal matters, fight against terrorism, visa regime, falsification and external borders. North Macedonia’s negotiating team consists of representatives of the office of the Deputy Prime Minister in charge of good governance policies; the Interior Ministry; the Ministry of Justice; the Ministry of Defense; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; the Ministry of Health; the Public Prosecutor’s Office; the National Bank, the Financial Intelligence Office; and the Secretariat for European Affairs. The bilateral screening resumes with Chapter 23-Judiciary and Fundamental Rights on December 1.