Skopje, 9 February 2026 (MIA) - Parliament Speaker Afrim Gashi told journalists Monday his recent visit to the United States included successful meetings, particularly at the U.S. Department of State, where discussions focused on continuing the country’s strategic agreement with the U.S. The Speaker stressed he expects positive outcomes from the trip.

“You know that the National Prayer Breakfast is not just an event that happens in those two hours, but it is also an excellent opportunity for meetings, contacts, lobbying, promoting our country and our positions, achieving our goals etc. Of particular importance was the visit to the Department of State, where we spoke about the continuation of the strategic agreement with the U.S. Preparations are underway or being finalized for the second round of the agreement on strategic partnership with the U.S. The economic agreement between our countries is also in the final stage,” Gashi said at a media briefing in Parliament.

Gashi said the visit was beneficial for the country and the citizens, assessing the meetings as very successful and expressing confidence that they will lead to concrete and effective results in the coming period.

“We had many successful meetings in the U.S. and the entire visit was beneficial for the country and the citizens. I think the effects of these meetings will be positive. Macedonia is seen as a positive example, they support us. They think that the door for our accession negotiations with the European Union should be opened,” Gashi said.

The Speaker of Parliament said the the delegation he led also brought up the issue of the vacant ambassadorial post in Skopje after Ambassador Angela Aggeler was recalled by U.S. President Donald Trump.

“We raised this issue in the Department of State as well. We said it is in our shared interest to have an ambassador in the country as soon as possible. Until a new ambassador is chosen, the deputy ambassador will conduct the ambassadorial dutires,” Gashi said.

Photo: Parliament