At a working breakfast with EU Ambassadors accredited to North Macedonia on Wednesday, Foreign Minister Timco Mucunski said this year would see his country mark an inglorious jubilee, that is, the 20th anniversary of its candidate status.
According to him, since then, there’s been a series of major decisions containing painful compromises in the name of achieving the EU membership aspiration.
“It’s high time for us to proceed on the European path. We’re ready for dialogue in good faith and to find rational solutions”, Mucunski underlined.
He also stated that it was time for the EU, too, to make a strategic decision on what action would be further taken regarding the example of his country as a sort of litmus test for the credibility of the European story in the region and beyond. Mucunski expects negotiations and chapters to be started and opened, respectively, this year.
EU Ambassador Michalis Rokas said he looked at 2025 optimistically because of the hitherto big efforts. In that regard, he pointed out that the year had started with ribbon-cutting for two very important projects related to the Corridors. The Ambassador also discussed the importance of the adopted reform agenda.
However, he said that though it was an excellent document and platform, it contained important obligations that should be fulfilled this year.