During the opening ceremony, Gashi addressed the delegations of the PABSEC member states, underscoring the Republic of North Macedonia’s commitment to regional cooperation and Euro-Atlantic integration. He welcomed the host country and noted that the Black Sea region represents a corridor of vital importance for connectivity, trade, and international communication.

In his speech, he stressed that this geographical area has a rich history, culture, and great potential, but at the same time faces a series of challenges that require joint action and solidarity. According to him, whether in economic development, security, environmental protection, or social cohesion, the shared future depends on the strength of cooperation and the ties being built today.

Gashi also highlighted the need for the inclusion and equal participation of all actors in regional dialogue, emphasizing that sustainable development and social harmony can be ensured only through a comprehensive and inclusive approach. In this context, he reiterated North Macedonia’s unwavering commitment to EU integration, describing membership in the European Union and NATO not only as a strategic choice, but also as an essential path toward strengthening the country’s sovereignty, security, and prosperity.

He also added that the countries of the region, despite their differences, share common interests and goals for peace, economic progress, and a better future for their citizens, especially for the younger generations.

In addition to participating in the PABSEC General Assembly, the Speaker of the Assembly, Afrim Gashi, is also making an official bilateral visit to Tbilisi at the invitation of the Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia. As part of this visit, the two parliamentary leaders are expected to exchange views on current issues related to regional security, parliamentary diplomacy, and opportunities to deepen cooperation between the two countries.

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The NATO PA meeting, bringing together the speakers of parliament of the Alliance’s member states, along with the heads of the parliamentary delegations to the NATO PA, is being held ahead of the NATO Summit, which will take place next week in Ankara, Turkey.

NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmilla Shekerinska also addressed the summit, assessing that the security risks and successfully thwarted incidents during the recent period show that NATO is strong and capable of defending its territory. According to her, for this reason it must be ensured that the Alliance’s defense capacity remains strong. She also expressed the expectation that at the NATO Summit in Ankara, Turkey, all allies will present concrete plans to meet the obligation to invest five percent of GDP in defense.

In his address, Gashi said that in a world characterized by uncertainty, disinformation, and geopolitical shocks, the weight of parliaments is greater today than ever before. He underlined that the Ankara Summit must send a clear political signal that NATO is united, that the transatlantic bond remains strong, and that Article 5 remains the foundation of our collective security.

“The world is changing rapidly. That is why NATO must remain not only strong, but also agile and ready to respond quickly, with a strategic vision and implementation processes that match the pace and complexity of the threats we face,” Gashi stressed.

He added that North Macedonia is a NATO ally positioned in a strategically sensitive region, and therefore it is essential that investment in the Western Balkans continue through further enlargement, deepening partnerships, and strengthening security cooperation initiatives.

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“I am honestly amazed at how easily the Deputy Prime Minister says that the amendment is not accepted, without giving any explanation why. We have become used to you pushing things through in this way. The problem today is not only this law, but all the actions you have taken over these two years. You have no clear arguments to defend Karakamisheva’s law,” said Diana Toska of the European Front.

VLEN said the submitted amendments do not affect the essence of the issue, but are intended to obstruct the adoption of the law.

“All the amendments that have been proposed were not submitted to find solutions and offer something better, but were drafted in such a way that this law could later be blocked, because that is your goal. You have amendments that are completely harmful to the citizens of this country, especially to Albanians,” said Imrlije Saliu Fetai of VLEN.

MP Ziadin Sela also intervened in the debate.

“If you take something that was not ideal and make it even worse, and then say that you did it, that makes no sense to me. Make it better, yes, you have my support and God’s. They are drafting a law that will make it impossible for someone who has celebrated together with others to be discriminated against, while someone else is privileged. That is why you should keep quiet and not speak at all about this law,” declared Ziadin Sela of the Albanian Alliance.

Amendments to this law were also submitted by Fatmir Bytyqi of SDSM, Monika Zajkova and Slavjanka Petrovska. Bytyqi said the concept of fair representation cannot be limited to numbers alone.

“This law speaks of fair and adequate representation, but if we read it carefully, we will see that the proposer has been far too satisfied with the form and has dealt very little with the substance. As if it were enough for an institution to have a certain percentage or an annual report, and we could conclude that we have built a fair state,” stressed Fatmir Bytyqi of SDSM.

The law on fair and adequate representation is expected to replace the Balancer, which was repealed by the Constitutional Court two years ago.

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