Skopje, 23 June 2022 (MIA) – Deputy Prime Minister in charge of European Affairs met Thursday with Irish Minister for European Affairs Thomas Byrne at the sidelines of the EU Summit for the Western Balkans. A positive message for the strong support by the Republic of Ireland for North Macedonia's European integration was sent at the meeting, with faith that the blockade will be lifted soon and North Macedonia and Albania can start negotiations soon, The Secretariat for European Affairs said in a press release. Deputy PM Marichikj emphasized the commitment to the dialogue for overcoming the open issues with Bulgaria over the past six months, reiterating the Government’s positions that there is no negotiation about the Macedonian language and identity, and any solution and proposal has to be based on European values and standards. “Blocking the entire enlargement process harms the EU and the region itself. This Summit is incredibly important for the Western Balkans and the EU, not only because of the political, security and economic mess in the world, but also in order to preserve the EU’s credibility and the credibility of the enlargement policy,” Marichikj said. Interlocutors also discussed the activities of Minister Byrne during his coming visit to North Macedonia, alongside Finnish Minister for European Affairs Tytti Tuppurainen, within their Balkan tour in early July, reads the press release.