Skopje, 30 September 2021 (MIA) – Deputy PM for European Affairs Nikola Dimitrov while in Strasbourg held Thursday separate meetings with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe Marija Pejčinović Burić and PACE President Rik Daems and presented North Macedonia’s commitments to reforms related to promoting democracy, human rights and the rule of law as well as regional cooperation and EU accession process. At the meeting with Secretary General Pejčinović Burić, Deputy PM Dimitrov stressed that the efforts of North Macedonia’s and region’s EU accession are aimed at achieving the goals of the Council of Europe and strengthening the European identity, the Secretariat for European Affairs said in a press release. “The Council of Europe is a credo for democracy, the rule of law and the protection of human rights, and that is the essence of accession negotiations - approximation to European standards as benchmarks for building the future, cooperation and prosperity. The focus on historical, linguistic and identity issues that is currently an obstacle on North Macedonia’s EU path is opposite to European identity and values that we have agreed to promote and advance as a European society and community of nations,”  Dimitrov said. Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić underscored North Macedonia’s progress and contribution to ensuring peace and stability in Europe, noting that the mechanisms of the Council of Europe support the EU accession of North Macedonia and the region as a common goal, the press release read. Deputy PM Dimitrov and PACE President Daems discussed the current developments related to EU accession process and modalities for strengthening and supporting the process. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe initiated Thursday an adoption of a resolution in support of the European future of the Western Balkans, which will be reviewed after the submission of a report by George Papandreou. “We have invested a lot of time and energy, to start EU accession talks and the obstacles we face make the European narrative more difficult and weaken hope. The raising of this issue by the Council of Europe is at the right time, it affirms the importance of this issue for the future of Europe, which is not complete, it is not even possible without the inclusion of the region as an integral part,” Dimitrov noted. President Daems, the press release read, expressed political support for overcoming the challenges and openness to cooperation for the European perspective of the region. Deputy PM for European Affairs Nikola Dimitrov wrapped up his participation at the Autumn Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) in Strasbourg on Thursday with the discussion on the democratic challenges and European aspirations of the Western Balkans.