The Prime Minister of North Macedonia Zoran Zaev said on Wednesday that European integration cannot be a hostage of bilateral relations. Mr. Zaev made his statement during a joint press conference with the Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, during the participation in the First Economic Forum that is being held in Skopje, reports Denada Shkodrani for RTSH. “Europe has a problem. The EU itself is the problem. The member states did not take measures to prevent one country from blocking another,” Zaev said.
He expressed confidence that we will not be left alone in isolation. “I am with my friend Rama. We share the same values. We do not stop here. We are Europeans. We are starting to remove the borders between us. We have common ideas and challenges and we need to bring our peoples closer,” he said.
For the Prime Minister of North Macedonia, the Bulgarians did not find the strength not to hinder our European integration. “The EU decision not to schedule the first conference for us and Albania is a disappointment, but also the incompetence of the EU. Bulgaria’s veto is not in the spirit of good neighborly relations. European integration cannot be a hostage of bilateral relations. The progress of our reforms must depend on the achievement of European standards. Repeated failures of the EU will pave the way for Eurosceptics. The EU will keep its word and continue enlargement. I will not give up easily! I will go to Sofia again, again! “We will succeed! Macedonia is Europe! Albania is Europe! The Balkans are Europe” said Mr. Zaev.

/Klara Ruci/