Rokas expresses confidence that a compromise will be found for electoral reform

The European Union representative in the country, Michalis Rokas, expressed optimism that today the political forces will find common ground on changes to the Electoral Code, a commitment stemming from the Reform Agenda. He stressed that this Friday marks the final deadline for reaching an agreement and that daily meetings between parties make a compromise believable.

Referring to the importance of this step, Rokas also drew attention to the financial aspect, mentioning that it concerns an amount of around 4.2 million euros that will be put at the service of the citizens of North Macedonia. He made these statements after a ceremony where new equipment for the State Transport Inspectorate was presented, secured thanks to an EU grant.

Asked afterwards about the signal coming from Brussels at a time when four aspirant countries are advancing with the opening and closing of negotiating chapters, the ambassador described the enlargement process as a direct investment in the security, defense, welfare and competitiveness architecture of the Union. He noted that the pace has accelerated significantly and that he sincerely hopes that official Skopje will be able to seize this moment and start membership talks without delay.

Rokas added that it is essential for the country to make use of this window of opportunity to move forward on the integration path. He revealed that a considerable amount of work is already taking place behind the scenes, away from public attention, with the aim of finalizing the outstanding issues. “I hope that very soon a solution will be found that will pave the way for the start of negotiations with the European Union,” the ambassador concluded.