Siljanovska-Davkova at the European Parliament: Progress toward the EU requires shared political will and concrete action

President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova met in Brussels with Members of the European Parliament Dan Barna (Renew, Romania), Tijs Reuten (S&D, the Netherlands), Matej Tonin (EPP, Slovenia) and Karlo Resler (EPP, Croatia).

The discussions covered Macedonia’s progress toward European integration, the difficulties affecting the European Union’s enlargement policy and possible ways to unblock accession negotiations, which have long been at a standstill.

Siljanovska-Davkova noted that the country has held candidate status for 21 years and has remained committed to EU membership throughout that period, undertaking significant reforms.

She also highlighted the country’s full alignment with the European Union’s Common Foreign and Security Policy, describing it as evidence of its clear geopolitical orientation and consistent support for European positions.

According to the president, the responsibility for demonstrating the political will to make progress does not rest solely with candidate countries. She said the Union must also offer creative solutions to overcome the prolonged impasse without compromising Macedonian national and cultural identity.

Those present agreed that North Macedonia has a place in the European Union, where it naturally belongs, although its path to membership remains challenging.

Some of the MEPs stressed that their countries’ experiences show the accession process can take a long time and involve difficult conditions, while progress made does not always receive the recognition it deserves.