Skopje, 27 March 2026 (MIA) - As part of the 5th Inter-Parliamentary Forum of South East Europe Delegations to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, the Speaker of the Parliament of the Republic of North Macedonia, Afrim Gashi, met Friday with the Secretary General of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Roberto Montella.

At the meeting Gashi stressed it is an honor for Parliament to enjoy the trust of the OSCE PA, demonstrated through the organization of the forum, which he said, provides an excellent opportunity to deepen regional dialogue and to better understand common challenges.

“As the host country of the first OSCE field mission, which remains active to this day, we can testify firsthand to the positive experience and benefits of OSCE’s presence on the ground. The OSCE Mission in Skopje has played a significant role in supporting reforms across many areas. In addition to participating in OSCE PA sessions, our delegation regularly takes part in election observation missions. In 2016, we hosted the OSCE PA autumn session, and in 2023 we organized the bureau meeting of the OSCE PA, held within the OSCE Ministerial Council in Skopje,” Parliament said in a press release. 

Secretary General Montella expressed gratitude for the organization and hospitality, stressing that multilateral dialogue forums are one of the ways to foster connectivity, with dialogue serving as a driver for advancing infrastructure, regional, and security cooperation.

Montella underlined that European countries need one another, whether in terms of progress toward EU membership or in adopting solutions that benefit students, culture, and the economy. Montella noted his satisfaction that while North Macedonia once sought support in the field of security, today it actively contributes to security not only regionally but more broadly.

Both sides expressed hope that open dialogue and fruitful cooperation with the OSCE and all its institutions and structures will continue, especially with the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, as one of the key pillars for strengthening parliamentary democracy, dialogue, and cooperation among countries.

Photo: Parliament