Skopje, 10 April 2024 (MIA) – North Macedonia to utilize the favorable negotiating framework, Macedonian identity to become part of the EU, is the joint conclusion of the meeting between first Deputy PM for European Affairs Bojan Marichikj and Anžej Frangeš, Director-General of the Directorate for European Affairs and Special Envoy for the Western Balkans of the Republic of Slovenia.

Marichikj and Frangeš, as announced by the Secretariat for European Affairs, also discussed the joint cooperation and support that Slovenia is prepared to provide in North Macedonia's EU accession process.

During the meeting, Marichikj underscored the significance of the support, noting it comes from a country that swiftly concluded negotiations and from a close country willing to share its experience, facilitating North Macedonia's rapid progress in the Euro-integration process.

They underlined that North Macedonia and Slovenia share a deep friendship that has been continuously nurtured since the establishment of diplomatic relations back in 1992.

The successful bilateral cooperation between the two countries was crowned with the Development Cooperation Agreement in 2004, under which both countries signed a Memorandum of Cooperation defining infrastructure and technical cooperation projects co-financed by Slovenian development funds.

Following this agreement, last December, Deputy Prime Minister Marichikj and Slovenia's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tanja Fajon, signed the Memorandum of Bilateral Development Cooperation between the two countries. This memorandum earmarks over €2 million for enhancing economic and social infrastructure in several regions of North Macedonia.