Skopje, 15 July 2024 (MIA) - The United States will remain North Macedonia's key strategic partner and its aim is to support not interfere in the country's domestic affairs, says Ambassador Angela Aggeler in an interview with Alsat.

On Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski's recent assessment that it has become a practice for ambassadors to interfere in the country's domestic affairs, Ambassador Aggeler hopes the statement did not refer to her.

"It is never our intent to interfere, it has always been our hope to support. Decisions made in the Judicial Council or any other body within the judiciary are the decisions of this country's leaders alone. We do not say who should sit on any court or be a member of any council. Is corruption rife within the judiciary? Yes. When support and confidence in the judiciary is at two percent, that is an abomination," says Aggeler.

On the constitutional name, the Ambassador says the U.S. have said clearly that international agreements must be respected, so the country can move forward.

"It is unfortunate that the President, when she took her oath of office, failed to use the constitutional name. We have seen that this has resulted in a constant discussion about the presidency and what the statements say, what the documents look like, these types of things. Frankly, that is a distraction from the issues that are of importance for the voters of this country," says Aggeler.

MIA file photo