Skopje, 3 March 2023 (MIA) – Deputy PM in charge of economic affairs and coordination of economic sectors and investments, Fatmir Bytyqi, finished his 3-day official visit to Brussels, where North Macedonia opened Chapter 9: Financial Services and Chapter 28: Health and Consumer Protection from Cluster 2: Internal Market, one of the carrying clusters due to its size and importance, because it contains the chapters of the four fundamental freedoms that represent the basis of the agreement to establish the European Union.

Bytyqi said that the country’s integration process is stable and that the choice is clear – full integration into the EU. He reached this conclusion after the meeting with the Commissioner for Economy, coordinating the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals Paolo Gentiloni. Bytyqi said that Gentiloni confirms the EC’s commitment that North Macedonia is of strategic importance to the Union.

“We are committed to the harmonization of the laws and regulations of the EU with a full-fledged membership as the goal. More importantly, the preparation and increase of the competitiveness of the local economy in order to accelerate and ease the transition towards the EU’s unique market. It’s up to us to do the work at home to fulfil this goal by 2030,” Bytyqi said.

As the government’s press service said, the Deputy PM said that the goal is clear to achieve this goal: strengthened harmonization of recommendations and EC directives, strengthening competitiveness through investments that add value, education and research investments, as well as human capital.

“Let’s create a labor market that can be prepared for the fourth industrialization and keep improving the regional cooperation through redefining the supply chains, as well as diversifying energy sources and increasing renewable energy sources capacities,” Bytyqi said.

As per the press release, Bytyqi held a few more official meetings with the general directors at the Directorate for Education, Youth, Sports and Culture, as well as the Directorate for Research and Development, where sincere support was expressed for North Macedonia’s process of European integration.

At the meeting with the CEFTA director, current and future plans and economic policies were discussed, that we committed to implement as an equal CEFTA member. At the Eurochambres meeting, the chamber expressed its readiness to support the chamber that unites the largest economic chambers in Europe in order to achieve faster integration of North Macedonia in the EU. dk/sk/

Photo: Government