Donfried: The EU should start talks with Tirana and Skopje as soon as possible

After the meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bujar Osmani, the American official said that the future of Northern Macedonia is in the European Union, as the country, according to her, has completed all the necessary reforms to join the EU.

“We have already said and we will repeat that the future of Northern Macedonia is in the European Union. The United States strongly supports your aspirations and would like an intergovernmental conference with Northern Macedonia and Albania to be held as soon as possible. “You have completed difficult tasks by fulfilling the necessary reforms and you deserve to move forward quickly,” Donfried said.

She said that Northern Macedonia’s membership in the European Union will contribute to greater stability in the Balkans and greater prosperity in Europe, while praising the support that the Macedonian authorities have given to Ukraine in the fight against Russian aggression.

“You are the defenders of democracy and rule of law. You stood together with international partners in support of the Ukrainian people. You know how important freedom is and you have proven many times that you are a stable partner. This is a time of challenges and opportunities. Northern Macedonia has shown that it is capable of defending human rights. “You have to keep up the pace of reform, but you have proven that you can meet the challenges.”

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bujar Osmani, said that the process of enlargement of the European Union is a security policy, therefore, according to him, the region’s membership in the EU is of exceptional importance for regional and European security and stability.

“None of us has time to lose. The lack of progress in European integration may have consequences for our country, as well as for the countries of the Western Balkans, as it paved the way for harmful influences from third countries. Therefore, the acceleration of the integration process is of great importance, not only for us, but also for our European geostrategic partners “, declared Osmani.

He stressed that strengthening cooperation with the United States and other international partners is important for northern Macedonia, but also for the region, while reiterating Skopje’s support for Ukraine in facing the Russian occupation.

“Deepening cooperation with the US and strengthening the US presence in our region is very important, especially in the context of the current security risks as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. “We are united in our support and solidarity with the Ukrainian people, clearly condemning Russian military actions in this country,” Osmani said.
He announced that in the meeting with the American official, Karen Donfried, they agreed to strengthen the cooperation between Northern Macedonia and the USA, through the next strategic dialogue, which will be held on June 2 in Washington.

Osmani said that Northern Macedonia will be the first country in the Western Balkans to launch a strategic partnership with the United States.

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