Skopje, 23 January 2023 (MIA) – As Deputy PM of a candidate country which has started EU negotiations, I’d like to reassure you that we are doing all we can to fulfill the necessary EU criteria regarding all 33 Chapters, Deputy PM for Economic Affairs Fatmir Bytyqi said in his address at the opening of the bilateral dialogue on the Internal Market Cluster in Brussels on Monday. 

Following intense preparations over the past three months, North Macedonia started its bilateral screening on Chapter 3 – Right of establishment and freedom to provide services from Cluster 2 – Internal Market. We are presenting the responses to the questionnaires related to the EU acquis transposition and its implementation in North Macedonia to representatives from DG NEAR, the Government said in a press release.  

Bytyqi pointed out that the internal market has been one of the most important aspects of the functioning of the EU since the foundation of the European Economic Area in 1957. 

“Ever since we became a candidate country in 2004, we have been firmly committed to the transposition of the EU acquis and other relevant regulations, and we are committed to all other processes that will speed up our accession to the EU,” Bytyqi said. 

He noted that North Macedonia is moderately prepared according to the EC’s latest report on most of the Cluster 2 chapters, marking limited progress over the past few years.  

Bytyqi reassured interlocutors in Brussels that North Macedonia will try to fulfil all criteria from all 33 chapters organized in 6 clusters, as well as the three additional areas according to the new methodology. 

The segment of the negotiations process on Cluster 2 – Internal Market will last for about two months and is of exceptional importance because it contains the chapters on the four freedoms of the European Union. dk/nn/