Skopje, 14 July 2023 (MIA) — Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs Bojan Marichikj in Washington met with Gabriel Escobar, US Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs and Special Representative to the Western Balkans, and discussed the country's EU integration, the required constitutional changes, reforms, and the support from the USA.

According to an official press release, Deputy PM Marichikj and special envoy Escobar spoke about the progress of North Macedonia's negotiations with the EU and the government's efforts to maintain the dynamics of the talks and accelerate the integration process.

Escobar voiced support for the country's EU membership bid, saying that achieving success requires reaching political consensus and continuing to implement the requested reforms, the release says.

"Meeting participants confirmed that this was a good time for the entire Western Balkans, and particularly for North Macedonia — which has fulfilled the conditions and is already negotiating with the EU — to confirm that it is a serious candidate for membership in the Union by making rapid progress and strengthening its position in the new EU enlargement package," the release adds.

Marichikj thanked Escobar for the United States' decades-long support given to North Macedonia and for providing strong political and economic help in achieving the country's strategic goals.

The meeting wrapped up the Deputy PM's official visit to Washington, during which he met with top State Department representatives and discussed the EU enlargenment with the Western Balkans as well as the improvement of bilateral ties at all levels, the release says. mr/