Prime Minister Zoran Zaev met on Wednesday with the visiting Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto. Support for EU enlargement as well as strong support from Finland, which currently holds the Presidency of the Council of the EU, for a positive decision for start date for EU accession talks with Macedonia in October at the EU Summit was discussed at the meeting.

The interlocutors discussed about the achieved progress in the area of rule of law in the country and voiced support for the process to further continue. Haavisto said that Finland greatly respects the Prespa Agreement, which resolved bilateral issue in peaceful manner.

Zaev, joined by Deputy PM for European Affairs Bujar Osmani, thanked for the friendship and sincere support from Finland to Macedonia and the European integration processes, especially in the period of expected important decision for our country, government press service said.

Today’s meeting is historic because it takes place during Finland’s Presidency of the EU Council, and the Republic of North Macedonia expects the EU Council to give strong and clear positive decision for start of EU accession negotiations. We have made important reforms through consensus with the opposition, we have resolved bilateral issues with our neighbours through a rare example of agreement and we are firmly committed to respecting European values. We have contributed to development of the regional cooperation, which resulted in development of trade, economic growth, new investments, new jobs, higher wages. We have delivered results and we think that we deserve EU to give us positive decision which would be a motivation to continue with domestic reforms and it will be a good message for European integration prospects of the region, Zaev said.

Zaev noted that our country is also committed to the implementation of good European practices in specific areas applicable in the country as using the successful Finnish experiences in education as well as the successful practices of the Nordic countries in the field of innovation, digitalization and new technologies.

Finland is not a NATO member state, but it is working closely with the Alliance and the member states and expects Macedonia’s NATO membership to contribute to the security and stability of the country, but also to open opportunities for enhancing cooperation in this field between the two countries, reads the press release.