Skopje, 25 June 2024 (MIA) - Parliament Speaker Afrim Gashi met Tuesday with representatives from the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) in Skopje, for talks on continuing and intensifying cooperation, implementing new projects, particularly in the area of transparency and independence of the legislative house, as well as youth and financial policies, the Parliament said in a press release.

Speaker Gashi stressed that he advocates for greater openness and for bringing the Parliament closer to the citizens, adding that he supports all projects aimed at strengthening capacities as well as the institutional and financial independence of the legislative house.

WFD representatives congratulated Gashi on his new post, noting that they are happy to continue the successful cooperation with the Parliament, and they expect efficient and productive implementation of projects included in the memorandum for cooperation, supported by the British Embassy.

Gashi noted that the cooperation dates back to 2008 with the signing of the Letter of Understanding between the Parliament, WFD, and the British Foreign Office with the aim of strengthening the capacities of the Parliament's committees and service. He pointed out that the cooperation with WFD marks an upward trend in recent years, since signing the memorandum of understanding in September 2017, expressing confidence and readiness to fully invest in the implementation of the "Practice Democracy" project, included in the latest memorandum signed on November 2023, financed by the British Embassy.

WFD representatives presented the main points of the new memorandum to Speaker Gashi. In that context, interlocutors exchanges views and initiatives for implementing the Volunteer Program, as well as for further cooperation and strengthening the capacities of the Parliamentary Budget Office, the Finance and Budget Committee, and Parliamentary Club on Youth Affairs and Policies, as an informal body. Participants in the meeting also expressed satisfaction that the new parliamentary composition will have a special working body for youth issues, i.e. a Committee on Social Policy, Demography and Youth, the press release reads. ssh/nn/

Photo: Parliament