North Macedonia “remains committed to a constructive dialogue with Bulgaria and to building sustainable good-neighborly relations”, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for European Affairs Bekim Sali said during his meeting in Bratislava with Slovakia's Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Juraj Blanar, according to a statement from the Ministry for European Affairs in Skopje.
”North Macedonia's European future is our strategic commitment and we remain fully committed to the reforms and implementation of the obligations arising from the accession process. At the same time, it is essential that the process remains credible, predictable and merit-based, with the implementation of agreed commitments followed by concrete progress,“ Sali stressed during the meeting.
At the meeting, the two ministers discussed “the importance of good neighbourly relations and the need to resolve bilateral issues through dialogue, mutual understanding and respect, while preserving the European and reform-oriented nature of the accession process”. They also discussed “Slovakia's continued support for the European perspective of North Macedonia and the Western Balkans”, and Sali thanked Blanár for “Slovakia's continued commitment to keeping the enlargement policy high on the EU agenda”, underlining Bratislava's active role within the “Friends of the Western Balkans” group.
“The gradual integration of candidate countries into EU policies and the single market, the implementation of the Reform Agenda and Growth Plan for the Western Balkans”, as well as the possibilities for deepening bilateral cooperation and exchange of experience with Slovakia in the process of European integration were also discussed.