Skopje, 11 April 2025 (MIA) - EU enlargement with the Western Balkans and North Macedonia's integration in the Union is unfinished business. Macedonia should be in the European Union already. North Macedonia needs the EU and the Union needs North Macedonia. Hungary is your sincere friend on this path, Hungary’s Minister for European Union Affairs János Bóka told a joint press conference with Minister of European Affairs Orhan Murtezani in Skopje on Friday.

"There is a strong strategic partnership between Hungary and North Macedonia that is based on shared values and mutual interests, and also extends to EU-related issues. During the Hungarian EU Presidency, we tried and succeeded in putting the Western Balkans again in the focus of the accession process, adoption of the country's reform agenda, and its accession to the Single European Payment Area (SEPA)," said Bóka while extending condolences top the families of the Kochani nightclub victims.

He recalled on the two joint government sessions in Ohrid and Budapest and noted that the step forward made by today's signing of a memorandum of understanding will help the country in the alignment with the EU legislation and effective use of European funds.

Minister Murtezani said North Macedonia and Hungary are tied by deep friendly relations and the bilateral cooperation has been further intensified through the memo signing, while thanking Budapest for its vocal support to Skopje's Euro-integration path and for putting enlargement high on the European agenda.

"Your continued support to the sooner Union integration of North Macedonia and the Western Balkans is a true example of friendship. The crown of that commitment is today's signing of the memorandum of cooperation, which sets a solid framework for long-term and structured partnership in the European integration field. This document is not only a formal administrative tool but an expression of mutual commitment to deepen our partnership through exchange of knowledge, experience and efforts in adopting European standards. This action once again demonstrates that Europe is not only geography and bureaucracy but also common values, with the enlargement being one of the most important strategic goals and which appeal and transformative power stems from the European concept of unity," said Murtezani.

He added that North Macedonia is ready to learn from Hungary's Euro-integration experience and the Government would use this partnership as an added incentive to speed up the country's Euro-integration.

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