6 October 2021 (MIA) Skopje – European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Wednesday that EU’s partners in the Western Balkans have been undertaking important reforms, calling their progress visible. Now, it’s EU’s time to deliver, she said. Brdo near Kranj — The steps and obstacles by the Bulgarian President Rumen Radev on behalf of Bulgaria are an insult to Macedonian citizens, Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said in Brdo near Kranj, where he is attending the EU-Western Balkans summit. Brdo near Kranj – The EU reaffirms its unequivocal support for the European perspective of the Western Balkans and welcomes the commitment of the Western Balkans partners to the European perspective, which is in our mutual strategic interest and remains our shared strategic choice, reads the declaration of the leaders of EU and Western Balkans countries concluded at Wednesday’s summit taking place in Brdo pri Kranju, Slovenia. Skopje – A strong and prosperous Western Balkans is a necessary contribution to the European economy and without a doubt, Western Balkans’ full integration into the European Union should be a natural outcome of the reform process in the region, Prime Minister Zoran Zaev told the first plenary session at the EU-Western Balkans Summit, dedicated to social and economic issues, in cooperation with the countries in the region with the EU. Zagreb — EU leaders reiterated on Wednesday that Western Balkan countries belonged in the EU and that they understood their frustration with the slow enlargement, but again failed to give a time frame for their accession. European Council President Charles Michel said the EU’s presence must be more tangible and more visible in the Balkans and that there was a debate within the EU on its capacity to accept new member states. Brdo near Kranj – European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, ahead of the EU-Western Balkans Summit at Brdo pri Kranju, reiterated an important message that the Western Balkans countries belong to the EU. Kranj — German Chancellor Angela Merkel has defended the European Union’s decision not to give the six Western Balkan countries a concrete time frame for accession. Brdo near Kranj – European Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi said ahead of the EU-Western Balkans Summit on Wednesday that leaders will not only confirm, but make it very clear that we are committed to the full integration and membership of the Western Balkans within the European Union. Brdo near Kranj – The people of the Western Balkans expect the EU declarations to be translated into action, and if the EU doesn’t act, disappointment in the region will be irreversible and extremely detrimental to the great European idea of ​​unity and cooperation, North Macedonia’s Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said Wednesday аhead of the EU-Western Balkans Summit taking place at Brdo near Kranj. Brdo near Kranj – The Netherlands hopes for a breakthrough in overcoming the Skopje-Sofia dispute after the elections in Bulgaria and will do everything to end the blockade to the start of North Macedonia’s EU accession negotiations, said Prime Minister Mark Rutte ahead of the EU-Western Balkans summit in Slovenia on Wednesday. Brdo near Kranj – Prime Minister Zoran Zaev held Wednesday a joint meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron and Bulgarian President Rumen Radev at the EU-Western Balkans Summit in Slovenia, agreeing on the commitment to EU enlargement process with the countries of the Western Balkans and reaffirming the Union’s strategic interest. Brdo near Kranj – Ahead of an EU-Western Balkans Summit held here on Wednesday, Bulgarian President Rumen Radev reconfirmed his country’s reluctance to greenlight Skopje’s EU accession negotiations unless North Macedonia honours its commitments to address the moot points in bilateral relations. Skopje – Prime Minister Zoran Zaev met on Wednesday with his Estonian counterpart Kaja Kallas on the sidelines of the EU-Western Balkans Summit in Brdo pri Kranju, Slovenia, discussing friendly relations between the two countries and the mutual commitment to further promote cooperation. Sofia – Over the recent months North Macedonia and Bulgaria built several positive examples of cooperation, and if things continue in that direction, success will be achieved very soon, said Co-President of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), MEP Ilhan Kyuchyuk. Skopje – President Stevo Pendarovski during his official visit to Greece visited Wednesday the Benaki Museum in Athens, where he saw the archive of Constantinos Doxiadis, a celebrated Greek architect also considered one of the world’s leading architects, who had been involved in creating the main urban plan for the reconstruction of Skopje after the devastating 1963 earthquake. Skopje – President Stevo Pendarovski met Wednesday with United States Ambassador to Athens, Geoffrey Pyatt, discussing regional developments and North Macedonia-Greece relations. Skopje – UK Ambassador Rachel Galloway handed over a British donation of sleeping systems for members of the Light Infantry Battalion Group and the special forces, worth GBP 230,000 (EUR 270,000), acquired through the NATO Support and Procurement Agency. Washington – The World Bank forecasts GDP growth in North Macedonia to increase from 3.6 percent to 4.6 percent in 2021, as a result of positive growth of 5.2 percent in the first half of the year and after increased private consumption, the influx of investments and higher government consumption in Q2. Skopje – The Economic Chamber of North Macedonia to consolidate opinions by companies, the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to sanction all suppliers that unlawfully cancel already concluded agreements with companies, and the authorities to find ways to support companies, agreed Government officials with the Chamber leadership on Tuesday, after alarms over possible price hikes due to the sharp increase of energy prices at world markets. Skopje – The World Bank’s increase of the GDP growth forecast for North Macedonia reconfirms the timely measures and proper policies we have undertaken in the course of the year, Finance Minister Fatmir Besimi has told MIA. Skopje – The National Bank Governor Anita Angelovska Bezhoska met with the director of the Fund for Innovation and Technological Development (FITD) Kosta Petrov and underlined that the drafting of the national strategy for development of the fintech sector is to be completed by year’s end. Aimed at successfully developing and implementing the strategy, as one of the strategic goals of the National Bank, a broad range of institutions are necessary to be actively involved. Skopje – North Macedonia is included in the EU list of cooperative jurisdictions for tax purposes, the Finance Ministry says Wednesday. Skopje – Halfway through the 2021 local election campaign, the ruling coalition SDSM on Tuesday promoted a plan envisaging that as of January 2022, the state would cover salary contributions for everyone under 29 who was employed for the first time, announcing additional incentives for new employees. Skopje – The Ministry of Labor and Social Policy said Wednesday that October 11, National Uprising Day, is a rest day for all citizens. Skopje – Minister of Education and Science Mila Carovska is taking part in a regional ministerial conference “New Thinking on Economic Growth” in Ljubljana, delivered as part of the EU funded multi-country project “Strengthening Line Ministries’ Capacities to Assess Fiscal Implications of Structural Reforms” implemented by the Center of Excellence in Finance. Skopje – About 75 percent of teachers in schools have been vaccinated, while about two percent of pupils attend online education, said the Ministry of Education and Science on Wednesday. Stockholm — Moderna’s covid-19 vaccine will no longer be administered to people under 30 years old in Sweden for the time being.