Skopje, 18 July 2024 (MIA) - Parliament Speaker Afrim Gashi met Thursday with the Japanese Ambassador Kazuya Otsuka and expressed gratitude for extensive assistance and support from Japan.

“Japan’s Western Balkans Cooperation Initiative and support for EU membership are strongly commended as crucial to the region’s stability. This year marks the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations. The Ambassador’s initiative to celebrate this milestone through various cultural activities, which help bring the citizens of both countries closer, was praised,” according to the Parliament’s press release.   

The ties between the two nations, as stated in the press release, have a longer history than their political relations, which began in 1994. It is noted that Skopje’s reconstruction after the 1963 earthquake was based on the architectural vision of the Japanese architect Kenzō Tange. To this day, the citizens of Skopje still live with the ideas and legacy of this visionary architect, reads the press release.

For our country, collaboration with a nation like Japan is of great importance, particularly in the fields of economy, education, and healthcare, supported through projects for technical cooperation, grants, and donations. The interlocutors agreed that this cooperation should continue, especially at the parliamentary level, through the establishment of parliamentary cooperation groups.

Photo: Parliament