Von der Leyen in Skopje: North Macedonia has one more step to open the first chapter of EU negotiations

Following her meeting with Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that North Macedonia belongs in the European Union, but must fulfill one final obligation in order to advance.

“My message is clear: you are part of Europe, and now you need to take just one decisive step forward and open the first chapter. I understand that this is a sensitive issue, but I want to clearly emphasize what Europe represents. We will welcome North Macedonia with its identity and language. We believe that Macedonian culture and language will enrich our Union, as our motto is diversity in unity,” von der Leyen said.

Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said that the country was fulfilling its obligations and that the time had come for Europe to guarantee a fair process without imposing new conditions.

According to him, the conversation with von der Leyen was open and substantive, while the focus was on issues that directly affect the country’s European future.

“At the meeting, we discussed reforms, the pace of the accession process and the difficulties that have affected our path toward the European Union for years. Our country’s position is clear and has not changed. We aim to become part of the European Union and are working with dedication toward this objective. At the same time, we believe that the time has come for European institutions to provide this process with stronger political support. Our European orientation has never been, and will never be, up for debate. Our demand is for the process to be fair and based on clear rules,” Mickoski said.

He added that the state was completing its obligations and implementing the reforms required of a candidate country, sometimes within the deadlines and sometimes with minor delays, but that they were ultimately being fulfilled./Telegrafi/