President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova met today with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, who is visiting the country.
First, Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova expressed gratitude for the European Union’s growing interest in and commitment to the region, highlighting Ursula von der Leyen’s personal contribution to accelerating regional European integration processes.
According to the President, although our country is not formally among the Western Balkan states making the most progress, it deserves to stand alongside them, rather than on a side track, when viewed through the prism of two crucial elements: technical readiness and geopolitical alignment with the European foreign and security policy.
In her opinion, the reason for the Macedonian absence from the group of top performers lies in the prioritization of an imposed bilateral dispute over the Copenhagen criteria.
The President expressed a firm conviction that guaranteeing us the same opportunities as those afforded to Ukraine and Moldova would undoubtedly strengthen our institutional readiness and restore our confidence and motivation for Europeanization, thereby accelerating the reform process.
Siljanovska-Davkova also reiterated the need to hold a political Intergovernmental conference in accordance with the new methodology and the Negotiating Framework, as well as a regular meeting of the Stabilization and Association Council, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a dynamic integration process that yields tangible results for the Macedonian citizens.
The President of the European Commission affirmed that our place is within the Union, which will continue to provide comprehensive support for our reform and European integration journey, describing the reforms achieved so far as impressive.
Highlighting the necessity of unblocking our progress toward the EU in the spirit of European values, von der Leyen expressed confidence that the dispute between North Macedonia and Bulgaria can be resolved through intensive, multifaceted meetings and dialogue – processes that should commence as soon as possible.
