Skopje, 10 May 2025 (MIA) – Geopolitical events don’t help us when rule of law is involved, on the contrary, it wanes before the challenges facing the world. The role of the academy we created is important now more than ever, said Gabriel Lansky, founder and president of the international Advisory Council at the Academy for European Integration (AEI) ahead of the day-long conference in Skopje.

Addressing the Saturday’s AEI panel “Roundtable: North Macedonia’s EU path: Challenges and Opportunities in 2025”, Lansky said the state of affairs taking place in the country, in the region and in the EU cause a lot of turbulence in the foundations of rule of law.

“It’s not only in North Macedonia, it is also in the Western Balkans region and the EU, it is a worldwide challenge. It causes turbulences in the foundations of rule of law. Unfortunately, geopolitical events do not make our work easier when it comes to rule of law. On the contrary. It wanes before the challenges the world is facing,” said Lansky, who is also the managing partner at LGP Group. 

Calling today’s conference very important, he said they want to put the focus on the state of affairs in the country, the region and the Union in order rule of law to prevail.

“The role of the academy we create is important now more than ever. This conference is very important to us. We believe our job is to focus on the situation here for rule of law to prevail,” Lansky told reporters. 

Asked whether Serbian President’s visit to Moscow would put an end or slow down his country’s EU integration, he said that the countries have the right to define their foreign policy.

“I hope it won’t happen. On one hand, I believe the countries have the right to define their foreign policy. On the other hand, they have to take care of their economy. I’m not a politician, I’m an international attorney at law,” Lansky said adding the countries should accept the “rules” of the club they belong to. 

The event was opened and moderated by law professor Vasko Naumovski, former deputy premier for European affairs and former ambassador to the United States. 

It also saw addresses by Maria Berger, judge at the European Court of Justice, MEP Klaus Wolfer, former Director for Southeast Europe and EU Enlargement at the Austrian Foreign Ministry, and Gerhard Jarosz, Head of International Criminal Law at the LGP Group and former Deputy Chief Prosecutor in Vienna. 

Photo: printscreen