Skopje, 1 September 2022 (MIA) - Parliament Speaker Talat Xhaferi held Thursday a farewell meeting with Head of the OSCE Mission in Skopje, Ambassador Clemens Koja, expressing gratitude for the fruitful cooperation between the Parliament and the OSCE Mission and the joint projects aimed at strengthening the democratic role and parliamentary independence, as well as the active contribution of Ambassador Koja in this regard. At the meeting, several current issues were discussed, such as the European integration process, the energy crisis and the functioning of the Parliament of the Republic of North Macedonia. Interlocutors agreed that the open dialogue and fruitful cooperation of the Parliament with OSCE and all its institutions and structures, and above all, with the OSCE Mission in Skopje, should continue in the future, the Parliament said in a press release. Speaker Xhaferi presented Ambassador Koja with a certificate of appreciation for his contribution and wished him success in fulfilling his new duties, expressing confidence that mutual support and cooperation will continue in the future. He referred to the significant role of the OSCE in the development of democratic processes in the Republic of North Macedonia, and in particular the activities of the OSCE Mission in Skopje, which in recent years has contributed in numerous areas. The frequent visits of senior representatives of this organization are an indicator of mutual trust and the intensity of cooperation. In the context of the upcoming OSCE Chairmanship of the Republic of North Macedonia in 2023, the Speaker assessed that it comes at the most challenging moment the Organization is facing in recent history, namely the military aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine. "Within the framework of the chairmanship, we will do our best to provide possible solutions to the challenges ahead, for which we expect the support of OSCE and the participating countries," said Xhaferi. Ambassador Koja expressed his gratitude for the excellent and frequent cooperation with the Parliament in numerous aspects, and above all in the field of gender equality, budgeting and support for the network of offices for communication with citizens in the electoral units. He referred to the activities of the OSCE Mission in Skopje, which this year marks its 30th anniversary. He emphasized that the OSCE Mission is cooperating closely with the institutions for the next steps and activities related to the 2023 Chairmanship of the Republic of North Macedonia and is ready to provide full support for the realization of the priorities. Koja also emphasized that the OSCE Mission in Skopje will continue to cooperate with Parliament in the implementation of current projects and reform processes, reads the press release. dk/ik/