Skopje, 22 January 2024 (MIA) – The people of this country will have a clear choice sometime in the next months, between the vision that knows how to go to Europe and something else. That will be up to the citizens to decide. From the U.S. standpoint we very much want to see North Macedonia become a part of Europe as soon as possible, said U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs James O'Brien, at a joint press conference with Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski on Monday, after a meeting of leaders from the region over the European Commission’s Growth Plan for the Western Balkans.

“As the United States, we feel it’s in our interest that the interest of the citizens of the Western Balkans be satisfied and that we see the governments move closer to integration in Europe. So, it’s fitting for me to be here, this week, in Skopje, with the Prime Minister in his last international meeting in this mandate, that we commit that North Macedonia and the United States will continue to work together on the country’s trajectory into Europe. The people of this country will have a clear choice sometime in the next months, between the vision that knows how to go to Europe and something else. That will be up to the citizens to decide. From the U.S. standpoint, we very much want to see North Macedonia become a part of Europe as soon as possible,” said O’Brien.

Asked about the existence of a “non-paper” by the Albanian political parties, in which they would pledge not to join a coalition with any party that would not adopt the constitutional amendments six months after the elections, O’Brien said he doesn’t know anything about it.

“I want to stay with what I said when I was here in November and also today. We think it’s up to the citizens of North Macedonia to decide the way forward. I think one party has proposed a way forward and, of course, takes criticism, because, of course, some people like or don’t like that way. I think another party is promising that it will figure out a way forward, and I think it’s fair for the citizens to maybe ask that party to put forth a non-paper explaining what its vision is, and then you get to decide, between the vision you know and something that’s a promise,” said O’Brien.

Photo: Government of North Macedonia