President Gordana Siljanovska Davkova received today the Letters of Credence of the newly appointed Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Uzlem Canel.
At the ceremony of handing over the letters of Credence, which was held in Villa Biljana in Ohrid, President Siljanovska Davkova expressed particular satisfaction with the highly developed bilateral relations between the two countries, characterized by intense political dialogue and partnership relations, as evidenced by last year’s celebration of the significant anniversary – 30 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations and successful cooperation.
The President thanked for the consistent support from the friendly Netherlands, which, since the independence, has been one of the biggest donors and a strong supporter of the European process of our country.
“The Netherlands continuously helps us in reforming the judiciary, rule of law and public administration, in order to ensure strong and independent institutions, which are the backbone of every European democracy. The Dutch “strict and fair” principle proved to be an excellent formula for the essential implementation of the reform agenda and the achievement of European standards in our country”, President Siljanovska Davkova said.
Saying that our country attaches great importance to the strong partnership relations that are nurtured within NATO, especially at a time when we are facing serious global security challenges and geopolitical restructuring, President Siljanovska Davkova stressed that our country remains committed to the implementation of strategic priorities, expressing confidence that the European and Euro-Atlantic perspective is a guarantee of prosperity, stability and well-being of the entire region and Europe.
In her address at the ceremony, Ambassador Canel said that she was honored to be appointed as an Ambassador to our country and that she was given the opportunity to contribute to the excellent and special relations that exist between the two countries and peoples.
Ambassador Canel said that over the years her country has provided significant financial resources to support social cohesion and inter-ethnic relations, good governance, rule of law, education, health and public financial management. She pointed out that there are currently close to 180 Dutch companies working in our country that provide jobs for over 5000 citizens and also increase the visibility of our country on the international market.
The Dutch Ambassador added that the stability and security of the Western Balkans region will continue to be of key importance for the Netherlands, and in relation to the achievement of the strategic goal of our country – membership in the European Union, she said that the Netherlands will continue to expect strict compliance with The Copenhagen criteria before admission and that there is no room for concessions or shortened procedures.
“Progress in the area of rule of law, economic criteria and public administration reform will continue to determine the speed of accession objections individually for each candidate country. The task ahead requires responsibility, commitment and visible results on your part. Only then will the support for these reform efforts provided by the European Union and the Netherlands be able to have lasting results”, Ambassador Canel said.
President Siljanovska Davkova wished Ambassador Ozlem Canel success in the performance of her responsible office.
