Skopje, 9 February 2024 (MIA) — Two meetings held in a week — a bilateral meeting on Friday after the joint meeting with ambassadors of EU member states on Monday — show both sides are willing to promote good neighborly relations as behooves European countries, concluded caretaker Prime Minister Talat Xhaferi and Bulgarian Ambassador Angel Angelov at their meeting earlier in the day, according to an official press release.

At the meeting, Xhaferi and Angelov talked about issues of importance for both countries, bilateral cooperation as well as maintaining stability in the region and in Europe. They said highlighting positive examples and narratives in both countries was important to strengthen mutual trust.

"North Macedonia is firmly committed to dialogue, which leads to friendship and mutual respect for each other's dignity," Xhaferi is quoted as saying in the release.

He added his expectation that the two countries would cooperate successfully in the European Union in a few years as they were now cooperating within NATO.

Meeting participants reaffirmed the political will for the meeting mutually agreed obligations. Xhaferi reaffirmed the government's commitment to the implementation of constitutional amendments required to continue the country's European integration path. 

At the same time, they confirmed the mutual need to continue political dialogue at all levels during 2024, regardless of the elections in North Macedonia and the upcoming change of prime minister in Bulgaria. 

As a positive example of political dialogue, they pointed out last November's meeting between Xhaferi, then Parliament Speaker, with Speaker of the National Assembly of Bulgaria Rosen Zhelyazkov. mr/