Skopje, 27 July 2022 (MIA) – Parliament Speaker Talat Xhaferi held Wednesday a virtual meeting with the Speaker of the Swedish Parliament Andreas Norlén and spoke by phone with Finnish Parliament Speaker Matti Vanhanen on the ratification of the protocols for accession to NATO of Sweden and Finland. Xhaferi congratulated Parliament Speakers Norlén and Vanhanen and the citizens of Sweden and Finland for their decisive step and for signing the NATO accession protocol and the beginning of the ratification process of Sweden's NATO membership, Parliament said in a press release. He noted that the continuation of the NATO’s enlargement is of key importance for the long-term stability in Europe. “We are all aware of the long-standing policies of military neutrality of Sweden and Finland just as much as we are aware that the war in Ukraine has led to an increased debate among member states on the need to strengthen the Alliance with new member states. I believe that at a time when the continent is facing a major security crisis, your membership will make a significant contribution to common security,” Xhaferi said. Parliament Speaker Norlén thanked for the invitation to personally attend session on ratifying Sweden's NATO accession protocol and expressed his regret that he was unable to attend it in person. Norlén said that North Macedonia's support for Sweden's NATO membership confirms the firm bilateral relations between North Macedonia and Sweden, which will be strengthened in all fields, in addition, as NATO allies. Parliament Speaker Vanhanen thanked the citizens of North Macedonia, the Parliament and the Speaker Xhaferi for the overall support in the process of Finland's accession to NATO. The interlocutors agreed that the bilateral relations, the excellent parliamentary cooperation, the support of the multilateral forums will be further advanced as NATO allies.