The Berlin process and other regional initiatives ensure faster European integration of the countries of the region, Macedonian Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski declared today in Skopje during a joint press conference with his Albanian counterpart, Edi Rama.

Prime Ministers Kovacevski and Rama agreed that the European integration processes of both countries and the importance of clear commitment is crucial in these moments of powerful geopolitical turmoil, all with the aim of the countries becoming full-fledged members of the EU by 2030.

After a tête-à-tête meeting, the prime ministers of the two countries held a bilateral meeting with the government delegations.

At the meeting, the delegation from the country included the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Political System and Inter-Community Relations Artan Grubi, Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs Bojan Maricic, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Coordination of Economic Resources and Investments Fatmir Bytyqi, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bujar Osmani, Minister of Defense Slavjanka Petrovska, Minister of Justice Krenar Lloga, as well as Minister of Culture Bisera Kostadinovska Stojčevska.

Niko Peleshi, Minister of Defense, Majlinda Duka, Minister of State and Chief Negotiator of the Republic of Albania, as well as Deputy Secretary General Elira Kokona participated in the Albanian delegation.

“In the bilateral meeting, it was jointly established that the countries of the Western Balkans, including Albania and North Macedonia, have a serious job ahead of them, because the time has come when essential achievements will have to be achieved in terms of capacity improvement. the efficiency and competitiveness of the economies and of the region as a whole, which will lead to accelerated regional economic growth and development”, the communiqué states.

In that direction, it is precisely through the Berlin process that the intensification of cooperation and regional connection between the countries of the Western Balkans is aimed.

In the bilateral meeting, it was established that the position is clear that the EU will not be complete and successful until the citizens of the Western Balkans receive passports with the EU flag. At the same time, it was concluded that the Berlin process is not a substitute for EU membership, but it is a process that will ensure faster integration of the countries of the region.

“At the meeting, Prime Minister Kovacevski emphasized that the Berlin Process, the Open Balkans, as well as other regional initiatives such as RCC, CEFTA, CEI, SEECP, are complementary to each other and each of them is only a plus benefit for the citizens and businesses. Prime Minister Kovacevski added that our actions in each of them must be extremely dedicated, because each of them is a step forward on the European road”, the government statement reads.

The meeting also discussed the situation in our neighboring countries, where the Macedonian delegation headed by Prime Minister Kovacevski emphasized that as immediate neighbors of Kosovo and Serbia, we call for the de-escalation of the situation and the implementation of the obligations undertaken internationally both parties, namely for the implementation of the Agreement that Serbia and Kosovo reached on February 27 in Brussels and especially for the Agreement reached in Ohrid on the way to the normalization of relations.

In terms of cooperation between the two countries, it was emphasized that today’s visit is also a confirmation of the good bilateral cooperation between the two countries, which is happening eight months after the intergovernmental meeting of the governments of North Macedonia and Albania, in which the Agreements and the memorandums were signed by the ministers of the two governments for deepening the cooperation between the two countries.

The trend of increasing commercial exchange with Albania has a tendency for further growth. In 2022, exports from North Macedonia to Albania reached over 102 million euros, which is a 7 percent increase compared to 2021 and a 40 percent increase compared to 2019.

“It was emphasized that both countries, as NATO allies, are committed to promoting and sharing common values and responsibility towards NATO and contributing to international peace operations, sharing common views regarding the situation in regional and multilateral level for the peace and stability of the region”, it is said, among other things, in the government statement.

/k.s/