“Integration into the European Union remains the main strategic priority for Macedonia, while the Reform Agenda holds a central place in the Government’s policies. Progress in the rule of law, public administration, economic governance, digital transformation, and institutional transparency constitutes an investment for the future of the state and for better conditions for citizens,” Trajkov stated.

She also stressed that enlargement should be merit-based, a credible and predictable process. According to her, both candidate countries and the European Union must continuously fulfill their obligations.

Trajkov assessed that a democratic, stable, and prosperous Western Balkans means a more secure and stronger European Union.

The event was also attended by Gunter Krichbaum, Minister of State for Europe at the German Federal Foreign Office, German MEP Michael Gahler, as well as a member of the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs./Telegrafi/

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According to Rokas, a solution is expected to be reached soon that will open Macedonia’s door to the European Union.

“I sincerely hope that matters will move forward. I believe that a great deal of work is already being done behind the scenes, even though this is not visible, in order to bring the process to a conclusion. I hope that a solution will soon be found that will pave the way for the start of negotiations with the European Union,” Rokas stated.

Meanwhile, experts have been presenting to the public these days a proposal for so-called internal guarantees, or the adoption of a law on identity protection, which would serve as a legal shield against any pressure.

In a six-point analysis, EU expert Dragan Tilev suggested concrete steps for the public, namely a so-called legal argumentation. According to him, it is based on the European values of Article 2 of the EU Treaty, the protection of national identity, the principle of sincere cooperation, and the membership conditions set out in Article 49 of the EU Treaty./Telegrafi/

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In an appearance on “Sitel,” Filipce said: “What is being achieved? A complete defocus. Instead of discussing this government debacle, the isolation from Europe, the pro-Russian influences in our country, the pro-Russian positions of Hristijan Mickoski’s government, personally, the budget debacle, the lack of money for pensions, salaries, social transfers, agriculture and so on, the ultra-expensive loans, including the Hungarian one, we are once again debating ourselves.”

According to him, the budget rebalancing is clear proof of the economic failure of Mickoski’s government.

Filipce stressed: “A major increase in the deficit, no money is foreseen for an adequate increase in pensions, pensioners have been betrayed, nor for a wage increase. There is not enough money for agricultural subsidies. There is not enough money to increase social transfers. Everything is status quo.”

He also assessed that Macedonia is falling behind, while countries in the region are moving forward and making use of billions of euros from European funds, thus losing money, reforms and time.

“Real development comes from non-repayable European Union funds. And that is how all countries have changed and developed. Greece, Bulgaria, Croatia have used billions of euros from Europe,” Filipce said.

In the end, he stressed that the government is boasting about 50 million euros, while Montenegro is securing 3.2 billion euros in grants.

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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.

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Responding to journalists’ questions about the guarantees that the Government of North Macedonia is seeking in order to proceed with implementing the constitutional changes, which are necessary to begin the substantive process of accession negotiations with the EU, Kos said that EU enlargement is not based on guarantees given in advance, but on trust, commitments, dedication, delivery and work.

She said she is not the person who can give advice on how trust is built with neighbors, but stressed that the greater this trust is, the easier progress in the accession process becomes. According to her, this process does not involve only the technical side and the reforms that need to be carried out, but is also linked to the political dynamics in the member states.

Kos underlined that trust can be built not only through kind words, but also through good deeds. According to her, this is achieved by avoiding actions and statements that could increase tensions, by respecting international law, by resolving disputes peacefully and by cooperating on shared issues. She added that there are many such shared issues in the EU.

In the end, Marta Kos stressed that building trust helps regional stability and that this is not linked only to one member state, but to building trust with all twenty-seven member states, Kos said./Telegrafi/

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On the eve of her official visit to North Macedonia tomorrow, she underlined that the only path for continuing European integration remains the implementation of the commitments undertaken, as well as the inclusion of Bulgarians in the Constitution.

“In my experience, such trust is built mainly on two elements: fulfilling obligations and the attitude of candidate countries toward the EU and its member states. This begins with good neighborly relations. When mutual trust grows, the accession process becomes more secure. I am convinced this would also be the case for North Macedonia. The truth is that no candidate country has ever received a guarantee that another dispute will not arise during the accession process until the last member state ratifies the accession treaty. This is how EU enlargement works. It is important to accept this reality,” Kos said in an interview with AIM.

She also said today that this autumn the European Commission will present new ways to bring candidate countries closer to the EU before membership.

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Following his participation in the Dubrovnik Forum, Mucunski wrote on the US-based social network X that the talks were focused on the future of EU enlargement in the Western Balkans, as well as the region’s European perspective.

He stressed that gradual integration can have value as an instrument only if it serves as a bridge to full EU membership, and not as a “permanent waiting room” for countries seeking to join.

Mucunski reiterated North Macedonia’s commitment to continue with reforms and to fully align with the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy.

According to the Macedonian chief diplomat, the European integration of the Western Balkans is a shared strategic interest that helps strengthen Europe’s security, stability and prosperity.

“The moment for enlargement is here. It depends on all of us to seize this opportunity,” Mucunski said.

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“The Constitutional Court is the highest judicial authority in the state. It is essential that its decisions be implemented immediately. That is what we support.

Likewise, issues related to the rule of law and ethnic minorities constitute an essential part of European integration, and we expect the institutions to implement them meticulously,” Rokas said.

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