Skopje, 17 January 2023 (MIA) – North Macedonia has already confirmed the European path, but now it needs to remain stable, which requires a serious political consensus on the issue of the future and country’s direction in the next 10 years, according to the Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs Bojan Marichikj.

“It is the foundation and prerequisite for the successful completion of this national project,” Marichikj said at the annual multimedia public event hosted by Civil titled “Perspectives 2023.”

He added that the citizens are expect and want a concept that brings certainty, reforms, non-returnable funds for the development of the country and therefore, according to Marichikj, this will be a year that will confirm to the citizens that he is sincere in his intentions to transform Macedonian society for the better.

“Political unity and a guarantee that the country will not lag and will continue to move along the path that brings stability, prosperity, new opportunities and that builds a state with functional democratic institutions,” Marichikj underlined.

He noted that in recent years the government has shown an honest and open approach in the implementation of reforms and that being responsible for issues in the field of justice, the fight against corruption, the improvement of freedom of the media and freedom of expression, which were also noted in the European Commission’s 2022 report on the country.

“We have updated these key issues in order to more intensively continue reforms and progress in the most important negotiating chapters. The government has a clear plan and vision of Europeanization and transformation of the Macedonian society, which will enable the country to move forward to the EU,” Marichikj said.

Deputy PM stressed that this is the time when narrow-party interests should be overcome and we should not allow, after 17 years spent in the EU “waiting room”, to behave irresponsibly and put ourselves in a situation where the domestic political factor acts as a brake and blocks the country on its path to the EU.

“I expect this year for North Macedonia to be even more successful than the previous one and to end it by holding the second Intergovernmental conference and opening the first cluster,” Marichikj said.

Evaluating the last year, Deputy PM Marichikj said that 2022 was a dynamic year with many challenges and uncertainties, both at home and internationally, but for North Macedonia it was also a successful year in which we opened EU accession negotiations and positioned the country on the express path of reform and transformation.

We had no right in times of turbulence and security challenges to question the country’s European perspective. With the “French proposal” and its adoption by the parliamentary majority, we succeeded in a European way to find a solution to the differences and open issues with Bulgaria and after 17 years of waiting to officially start the EU negotiation process, Marichikj added.