Skopje, 21 November 2023 (MIA) - Parliament Speaker Talat Xhaferi met Tuesday with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, voicing expectation that North Macedonia will soon join the EU demonstrating readiness and vision for all political factors in the country to contribute to the bright future of the citizens of the country, of current and future generations.

Vice-Speakers of the Parliament, Goran Misovski and Husni Ismaili, the Ambassador of North Macedonia to NATO, Dane Taleski, coordinators of the parliamentary groups of SDSM, Jovan Mitreski, VMRO-DPMNE, Nikola Micevski, DUI, Arber Ademi, Alliance for Albanians, Atnan Neziri, as well as the Parliament's Secretary General, Cvetanka Ivanova, also attended the meeting, the Parliament said in a press release. 

Speaker Xhaferi, on behalf of the MPs, welcomed Stoltenberg to the legislative house and thanked him for fostering a committed relationship with each allied country in the Alliance, as well as with the aspiring countries.

Xhaferi briefed Stoltenberg on the obligations that the country has undertaken and fulfilled as NATO ally in terms of solidarity and military aid to Ukraine, in terms of joining the sanctions on Russia, as well as joining condemnations of territorial claims and the annexation of Crimea by Russia.

"Our Assembly was among the first to establish an Inter-Party Parliamentary Group in support of the Crimean Platform, through the activities of which we provide unwavering support on an inter-parliamentary level as well," reads the press release. 

Secretary General Stoltenberg thanked for the opportunity to share views on current security challenges, now that all NATO allies are expected to firmly stand side by side in this unpredictable world, to protect and defend themselves against attacks. He commended the country for the courage and vision that has led to its full-fledged NATO membership, which not only ensured security for the citizens, but economic stability and growth for the country. He praised North Macedonia for the solidarity with Ukraine, the commitment to spending 2 percent of GDP on defence, as well as the contribution to NATO's peacekeeping missions, which is highly valued by all NATO allies.  

Photo: Parliament of the Republic of North Macedonia