Siljanovska-Davkova from the NATO Summit: North Macedonia is a reliable ally, the path to the EU should not remain in a labyrinth

President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova said today that it is incomprehensible for the same statesmen, presidents and prime ministers to show understanding within NATO, while when it comes to the European Union, they keep the country in a labyrinth for 20 years. She stressed that the time has come to overcome this. She made these comments after taking part in the meeting of the North Atlantic Council at the level of heads of state and government, as part of the NATO Summit held at the presidential complex “Beshtepe” in Ankara.

According to her, the message delivered clearly at the NATO Summit was that we are a proven and reliable NATO partner, that we act responsibly both in terms of resources and conduct, and that the alliance can count on us.

Siljanovska-Davkova also said that last night, during the reception hosted by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, she held a brief meeting with Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev. According to her, he told her that they are not only neighbors, but that she is his friend, something the president described as inspiring and encouraging.

She said she also had a longer conversation with Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar, who told her that he would stand even more firmly behind the Western Balkans, that he fully supports North Macedonia, and that, in order to have stability and peace in the Balkans, it is unavoidable for the countries of the Western Balkans to become part of the European Union.

The president underlined that for a strong Europe and a strong NATO, there is no better path than peace. According to her, Europe’s strength lies precisely in the ability to advance reforms peacefully and to promote democracy on the basis of fundamental principles and values.

Speaking about the second message from the Summit, she said it concerns NATO and the role of Donald Trump. According to Siljanovska-Davkova, it had to be emphasized that Trump, in a way, made it clear to NATO that defense, for which the alliance was created, is not only about the United States of America, but also about the European countries, which must bear their share of the burden of defense. She added that today it appears that almost all countries, if not all, have already entered that path, namely self-guaranteeing and ensuring the capacity to organize their own defense, which, according to her, is very important.

Siljanovska-Davkova also mentioned Kemal Ataturk’s saying: “If there is peace in the country, there will be peace outside the country,” reiterating that peace is the best solution for a strong Europe and a strong NATO. She said that Europe’s power lies in its ability to carry out reforms or promote democracy through peaceful means, supported by fundamental principles and values.

She added that this makes the situation special, because when the same members sit here and there, or for the most part, then it is logical not to give up on peace. According to her, this is precisely where Mr. Trump’s particular value lies, because in addition to allocating funds, he constantly emphasizes that a peaceful solution must be found for all problems.