English
“My message is clear: you belong with us, at the table in the European Union. Macedonia has truly achieved success with the Growth Plan—thanks to your personal commitment and readiness—and I thank you for that. You have already received 140 million euros, with additional payments to follow in the coming weeks; the progress is truly impressive,” stated European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at a joint press conference held at the Government building with Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski.
She emphasized that Macedonia has once again demonstrated its ability to make bold decisions regarding its future. She noted that the Prespa Agreement represented a moment of genuine political courage, where two countries chose to turn a new page and write a new chapter of history together—”it opened the door to NATO membership, and today Macedonia is a truly valued ally; likewise, within the European Union, we are building our security together.” You were the first country in the region to sign the defense and security partnership and to utilize European security instruments. You are part of the “coalition of the willing,” because when a European nation and friend was attacked, Macedonia stepped up; you are helping our Union, and we are truly very grateful for that. This is the Macedonia we know—a country that keeps its word, a country that belongs at the table in the European Union—and my message is this: clearly, you belong with us,” said von der Leyen.
The EC President recalled that, through great effort and dedication, accession negotiations began in 2022 and the screening process was completed in less than a year.
“And now, there is just one key step you need to take to move forward and open the first cluster—the ‘Fundamentals’ cluster. I know how sensitive this is, but I want to be clear about what Europe stands for. We will welcome Macedonia with its identity and its language. We believe that Macedonian culture and the Macedonian language can enrich our Union. Because our motto is ‘United in diversity’—and we are very serious about that,” said von der Leyen. She also spoke about the country’s achievements regarding the Growth Plan reforms, noting that impressive progress has been made in adopting key reforms necessary for companies to operate in our single market; this, she pointed out, allows your economy to gradually integrate with the European Union’s single market.
“Macedonia has truly achieved success with the Growth Plan, thanks to your personal commitment and readiness, and I thank you for that. You have already received 140 million euros, with additional payments to follow in the coming weeks, and the progress is truly impressive. To give you good examples of the benefits: for instance, you have joined SEPA. Regarding the transactions being made, the fees for these transactions have been significantly reduced. We are also already discussing roaming charges, because it is excellent when people can communicate without incurring additional fees,” said the President of the European Commission.