Skopje, 8 September 2022 (MIA) – Deputy PM for European Affairs, Bojan Marichikj, today from Prague, congratulates September 8, the Independence Day of North Macedonia, saying that the citizens have a reason to celebrate because today we are a respectable country that has allies all over the world, that is esteemed and recognized for its efforts and wisdom to pave its European path. “Thirty-one years ago, the citizens chose to live in an independent, democratic, peaceful, stable and prosperous state. The citizens have a reason to celebrate. We managed, despite all the challenges, to remain clearly oriented towards Euro-Atlantic integration, investing in our strategic goal until the end. Becoming a NATO member for a small country, like ours, is a great achievement, and opening of EU accession negotiations is another important step forward in the right direction. The accession negotiations will help us move through reforms,” Marichikj said in a congratulation message shared via Facebook. Deputy PM Marichikj is paying an official working visit to the Czech Republic on September 8-9, where he will meet with his counterpart, the Minister of European Affairs Mikuláš Bek, chairman of the Parliamentary European Affairs Committee Ondřej Benešík and the chairperson of the Inter-parliamentary friendship group between North Macedonia and the Czech Republic, Petr Beitl.