Bekim Sali: European integration must be guided by merit, fairness and credibility

Deputy Prime Minister Bekim Sali attended the informal meeting of the European Union’s General Affairs Council, held in Dublin under the Irish presidency of the Council of the EU. According to a government statement, the session on enlargement was attended by ministers from EU member states, as well as representatives of candidate and partner countries, with a focus on accelerating reforms and strengthening institutional capacity.

In his remarks, Sali said that European enlargement should no longer be viewed solely as a political decision, but as a geopolitical necessity and an investment in Europe’s security, stability and competitiveness.

He reaffirmed North Macedonia’s strong commitment to EU integration, continued reforms and full alignment with the values and policies of the European Union.

Reviewing the country’s path toward membership, the deputy prime minister said that the Stabilisation and Association Agreement had played a fundamental role in the country’s European transformation, helping to strengthen its legislation, economy and public administration.

According to Sali, the main focus should now be on the effective implementation of reforms, particularly in the areas of the rule of law, the judicial system, the fight against corruption and public administration.

Sali expressed support for Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos’s vision of a more ambitious approach to gradual integration. This model would allow candidate countries to become involved step by step in EU policies, programmes and parts of the Single Market before attaining full membership.

He stressed that gradual integration should accelerate candidate countries’ preparations, deliver tangible benefits for citizens and businesses, and increase confidence in the process. However, the ultimate objective remains full membership of the European Union.

In this context, Bekim Sali called for more coordinated support from member states through direct expertise, TAIEX and Twinning programmes, as well as the long-term presence of European experts in domestic institutions.

He emphasised that the accession process must be fair, predictable and merit-based, so that difficult political decisions and achieved results are accompanied by measurable and tangible progress.