Norway Offers Support for Reforms

Norway’s Ambassador to Macedonia Arne Sannes Bjørnstad and Vice Premier for European Affairs Bujar Osmani signed a Memorandum at the Secretariat for European Affairs on Thursday to announce Norway’s support for Macedonia’s EU integration.

Norway will provide EUR 3 to 5 million to finance reforms and development projects in line with EU and NATO standards. “The signing of the Memorandum is symbolic,” Vice-premier Osmani said, “because it’s taking place on the 55th anniversary of the Skopje earthquake in 1963 when Norway was the first country to offer disaster relief. “I’m not saying we’re experiencing a political earthquake at the moment, but we do have an important journey ahead of us, and we welcome Norway’s support of our reform agenda.”