President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova received a delegation of the Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group from the Swedish Parliament – Riksdag, led by Lotta Johnson Fornavre, accompanied by the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Sweden, Ola Sohlström.
Siljanovska-Davkova expressed satisfaction with the excellent cooperation with the Swedish MPs, based on mutual trust and respect, emphasizing that such a partnership is the basis for further strengthening the overall bilateral relations between the two countries.
She recalled that Sweden is the fourth largest bilateral donor to the country and that its support is reflected not only in development aid, but also in its role as a facilitator of European reforms.
As a former member of the Supervisory Group for Cooperation with the Swedish Riksdag, Siljanovska-Davkova stressed that the Swedish parliamentary democracy has always been an example from which we can learn. According to her, the experience gained through such cooperation is an incentive for new, open and constructive dialogues that will strengthen the political culture and institutional maturity in the country.
The Swedish MPs expressed openness and determination to continue parliamentary cooperation, exchange democratic experiences and assist and support the Macedonian European integration process.
The President said that progress towards the EU must be based on a merit system, and not on political conditionality and unilateral demands.
