Skopje, 5 December 2025 (MIA) – Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Timcho Mucunski took part Thursday in a meeting of the informal group ‘Friends of the Western Balkans’ in Vienna, held at the invitation of Austria’s Minister for European and International Affairs, Beate Meinl-Reisinger.

“At the meeting, the EU member states that are part of the ‘Friends of the Western Balkans’ group - Austria, the Czech Republic, Greece, Italy, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Croatia, participated, along with the foreign ministers of the regional countries and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaya Kallas,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade said Friday.

The meeting was divided into two thematic sessions: a working session focused on ‘Priorities for the Integration of the Western Balkans into the EU’ and a working dinner on ‘Energy, Security, and EU Integration.’

In his address, Minister Mucunski highlighted North Macedonia’s strong commitment to accelerating the accession process and deepening political dialogue and practical cooperation with the European Union within the framework of phased integration. He underscored that the process is already delivering tangible results for citizens and the economy through the implementation of the Growth Plan, the acceleration of trade via ‘Green Lanes,’ joining SEPA, and other initiatives.

Mucunski once again emphasized the necessity of providing a predictable and credible European perspective for North Macedonia and the region, highlighting the country’s strong commitment to the European path through implementing reforms, full alignment with the EU’s common foreign and security policy, continuous contribution to European security, and support for Ukraine. He noted that these results confirm the country’s maturity as a reliable and predictable partner for the Union. He also pointed out that political blockades not based on European criteria undermine the credibility of enlargement and contradict the core principles of the European project.

He underlined the necessity of significantly speeding up the process by better aligning accession negotiations with phased integration, increasing candidate countries’ engagement in EU sectoral policies, and reducing administrative hurdles. He assessed that communication with the European public needs considerable enhancement, especially in conveying the advantages of enlargement and its significance as an investment in collective security, economic development, and long-term stability.

Regarding energy issues, Mucunski underscored the significance of a coordinated approach to energy security, source diversification, access to renewable energies, and enhanced integration of regional countries into the European energy market, highlighting that this is key for economic competitiveness and strategic resilience across the continent.

Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade