In my whole professional working engagement, I was led by the idea to help in the processes that today brought the country to full membership. I assure you that as President, in me and in my team you have a partner and supporter of what is and will be a regional and global priority of the Alliance, said President Stevo Pendarovski at Monday’s meeting in Skopje with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and the North Atlantic Council.

The head of state expressed satisfaction with, as he said, the fact that the North Atlantic Council is paying a historic visit to Macedonia in a very important period for the country.

I believe that you have a full schedule, so I will try to be concise and focus on key messages that I think it is necessary to emphasize. In the past period, as a country, we underwent many important changes that opened the way for the country to full-fledged membership in the Alliance, said Pendarovski.

I am convinced, he said, that everyone appreciates the essential democratic progress and the implemented reforms aimed at restoring the institutional and legal order in the country.

I would not want to list all the reforms. Here I will just point out the signing of the two key agreements with our neighbors and friends, Greece and Bulgaria, the Prespa Agreement and the Agreement of good neighborly relations with Bulgaria, added Pendarovski.

As a state, we remain committed to contributing to the preservation of the global peace and stability, the fight against international terrorism, for which we are ready in the following period to strengthen our participation in NATO-led peacekeeping operations. For us, NATO membership is one of the greatest cohesion factors in our multiethnic society, and the support for the process is constantly high years back, which commits us to continue our reforms as a full member of NATO, emphasized Pendarovski.

The President said that he is deeply convinced that Macedonia’s NATO membership will positively affect the regional security and stability, with which the influence of external malignant factors will be reduced to a minimum.