Baku, 17 June 2025 (MIA) -- President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev hosted Tuesday a meeting with Parliament Speaker Afrim Gashi, who is on an official visit to Azerbaijan to participate in the 65th Plenary Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation taking place in Baku on June 17-19.

At the meeting, Gashi highlighted the commitment of the country to European integration as well as to expanding its horizons and partnerships with friendly countries such as Azerbaijan, according to an official press release.

Meeting participants reaffirmed the friendly ties between Azerbaijan and North Macedonia and the strong potential for further expanding cooperation in energy, trade, culture and tourism, the release said.

The Macedonian delegation led by Gashi includes MP Petar Markov, chair of the parliamentary group for cooperation with Azerbaijan, MP Imrlije Saliu Fetai and Parliament general secretary Marina Dimovska.

Gashi is in Baku at the invitation of his Azerbaijani counterpart Sahiba Gafarova.

This is the parliament speaker's first official visit to Azerbaijan, which is a sign of the mutual interest to advance parliamentary cooperation between the two countries, the release said. mr/