Skopje, 12 January 2024 (MIA) - In a press conference following the meeting with his Irish counterpart Leo Varadkar in Skopje, Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski emphasized that all alternatives offered against EU membership are utopias that cannot come close to the benefits offered by European Union membership. Whether we reach that goal now depends solely on us. The final step remains, and the decision, although technical, will not be easy, PM Kovachevski said.

He highlighted that if someone wishes to compare the situation of a country before entering the EU and after, it is best to consider the example of Ireland, which experienced economic and social transformation precisely after joining the EU.

"If any country has developed after entering the EU, it's Ireland. Ireland is our strong partner and supporter of our European integration. Today, we discussed with the Prime Minister both our integration and the progress of reforms, specifically the implementation of projects and the concrete steps we are taking. The reform process will continue and conclude with the accession to the EU. Ireland, in particular, understands that identity and language are two crucial characteristics of any nation. The Irish are well aware of the challenges we face because they, too, underwent a similar process in different circumstances and times," stated Kovachevski during today's joint press conference at the government.

He pointed out that one of the biggest supporters of our European integrations is precisely the Prime Minister of Ireland and Ireland itself. With Ireland, as I mentioned, we have been developing a good level of political dialogue since 1994 until today. Especially during Ireland's EU Presidency in 2004, we submitted the application for EU membership, and since then, we have been receiving continuous and vocal support from Ireland.

Irish Prime Minister Varadkar said it is an honor to be the first Irish premier to make an official visit to the country.

"Today's visit to North Macedonia, along with earlier visits to Kosovo and Montenegro, reflects Ireland's commitment to assisting the region on its path to EU integration. I believe that joining the EU is crucial for the regional security of the Balkans and contributes to the broader security of Europe. The people in the region will benefit from EU membership, just as Ireland has. We always support the EU enlargement and look forward to welcoming North Macedonia as the next member. I hope that the progress in the accession negotiations will speed up because for the past 10 years, no country has joined the EU, and I believe that should change. We are prepared to offer assistance wherever possible, especially concerning the reforms," Varadkar underlined.

He emphasized the strong bilateral relations between the two countries and added that there is a need for improvement in the trade sector, which amounted to only €20 million last year.

"I think we can boost trade, as well as establish educational and tourist ties," Varadkar said.

As Kovachevski noted, there is potential for cooperation in information technology, telecommunications, organic food production, energy, and tourism. Ireland, as he mentioned, imports our agricultural products, and we, in turn, import products from the telecommunications and pharmaceutical industries from Ireland.

Photo: MIA