Skopje, 24 August 2023 (MIA) — Gabriel Escobar, US Department of State's Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs and Special Representative to the Western Balkans, met Thursday afternoon with President Stevo Pendarovski and expressed official Washington's expectation that North Macedonia would continue on its path to full membership in the European Union.

According to an official press release, Escobar also confirmed the USA's support for the European aspirations of the country. 

During their meeting, Pendarovski and Escobar talked about the next steps North Macedonia should take to make progress in the EU integration process.

They also discussed the situation in the wider region in the context of Russian aggression against Ukraine, the release adds.

The meeting began Escobar's two-day visit to North Macedonia.

According to official announcements, the US special envoy to the Western Balkans on Friday will meet with Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski as well as with opposition party VMRO-DPMNE leader Hristijan Mickoski.

Escobar's arrival in Skopje follows the start of the parliamentary procedure on updating the Constitution to include Bulgarians into the list of communities living in the country as a condition for North Macedonia to hold its second intergovernmental session with the EU and continue membership negotiations.

Expressing support for the constitutional changes, the US diplomat in July said the USA was engaged with the government in Sofia to ensure it does not place any new conditions on the European path of the country. mr/