Skopje, 15 October 2024 (MIA) - Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Timcho Mucunski met with the German Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs, Annalena Baerbock, in Berlin on Tuesday. 

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, this is the first official meeting between the two ministers since Mucunski took office. 

Talks focused on the excellent political and economic relations between the two countries and the strong partnership in the past 30 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, Germany's support for the country's EU integration process, as well as other current topics from a regional and European security aspect.

Minister Mucunski expressed gratitude for Germany's ongoing support and its role in the country's progress on the path towards the EU, as well as for Germany's commitment to speeding up the overall process of integrating the Western Balkan countries, especially within the Berlin Process initiative.

"Germany is at the forefront of the European perspective of our country and the entire region, and the strong focus on implementing reforms remains at the centre of the new Government's approach," Mucunski pointed out. 

He noted that Germany is a key political and economic partner of the country and one of the largest trade partners in recent years, expressing the expectation to further strengthen the economic partnership between the two countries and increase the volume of trade through new forms of mutual cooperation.

Mucunski expressed confidence that unblocking the European integration process by holding the second intergovernmental conference and an immediate start of negotiations will not only strengthen the European reform agenda in the region, but will also make it much more resistant to influences from third countries, stressing that the unblocking of the country's European integration process is a matter of strategic and security interest, both for the region and for the EU's commitments.  

Speaking about North Macedonia's European integration and European perspective, the German Minister of Foreign Affairs, Annalena Baerbock, said that only a united European Union, which will not be blocked by individual member states, can put its full weight on the scale of global politics in times of crisis.

"Moving towards qualified majority voting in the EU, which could significantly impact the accession of candidate countries, is especially important to Germany," Baerbock pointed out.  

Highlighting Germany's strong support and the fact that the Macedonian government is committed to progress in the reform process, German Minister Baerbock stressed the importance of reforms in the judiciary, combatting corruption and strengthening the rule of law.

Baerbock also highlighted the country's role in regional initiatives, pointing out that the Republic of North Macedonia has so far assumed serious responsibility, primarily within the Berlin Process, as well as in multilateral initiatives on the international stage, i.e. in the United Nations Human Rights Council and the Executive Council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.

Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade