Skopje, 3 June 2022 (MIA) — It’s high time North Macedonia started negotiations with the EU, agreed Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski and Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer in Bratislava, pointing out that any further delay could have serious security consequences for the region and Europe. According to an official press release, Prime Minister Kovachevski met with Chancellor Nehammer on the sidelines of the GlobSec 2022 Bratislava Forum and thanked Austria on its strong support for the country and the European future of the entire region. He especially thanked Nehammer for the continuity of his efforts to encourage the Western Balkans to remain focused on European goals and at the same time to remind the EU member states to fulfill their promises to the region. In addition, the two premiers reaffirmed the friendly relations and mutual support between the two countries as a result of the continuous improvement of bilateral political and economic ties, the press release says. Kovachevski and Nehammer also expressed satisfaction with the noticeable increase of Austrian investments in North Macedonia and the great interest in new economic cooperation and projects related to renewable energy sources, construction, banking and insurance. mr/