Skopje, 23 January 2024 (MIA) – North Macedonia’s EU accession process, the internal political dynamics in the country and the state of play related to the country’s EU dossier were in the focus of Tuesday’s talks between Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani and European Commission Vice President and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, in Brussels.

According to a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at the meeting Osmani stressed the successful realization of the screening process, as well as the need to accelerate the EU accession process, which “serves as a motivation and driving force for reforms”. Additionally, the Foreign Minister touched upon North Macedonia’s full alignment with the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy, stressing the need for accelerated integration with the participation in several configurations of the EU Council, increased assistance or progressive participation in the policies and benefits reserved for member states.

“There is no alternative to full-fledged EU membership for the Western Balkans. What we now need is for the region to be ready for membership, and the Union for enlargement, i.e., to maintain the credibility of the process through more integration before membership,” said Osmani.

“Interlocutors also touched upon the EU integrations in a broader regional context. They also spoke about cooperation and the tackling of the consequences of Russia’s military aggression in Ukraine, the situation in Gaza and the Middle East and other ongoing issues related to foreign policy and security,” said the Ministry in the press release.

In Brussels, Minister Osmani also had a chance to meet with the European Union’s Special Representative for the Western Balkans, Miroslav Lajčák.

Photo: MFA