Skopje, 27 March 2024 (MIA) – North Macedonia had joined NATO at pretty much the right time before the start of Russia’s aggression of Ukraine. Accession into NATO and the EU is the best response to Russia’s imperialist ambitions. Ukraine is only the first stop and the Western Balkans could very well be one of the next stops, Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani said at a NATO-related event, which kicked off the NATO Days event in the country, organized to mark four years since North Macedonia’s accession to NATO and the Alliance’s 75th anniversary. 

North Macedonia’s NATO integration, he stated, had taken place at pretty much the right time before the start of Russia’s aggression of Ukraine. Thus, the country is perceived as not only a factor of stability in the region, it is also a motivation for the countries in the neighboring region that are willing and ready to stand behind the joint Euro-Atlantic values and goals, Osmani added noting that now is the time to accelerate the EU-related and Euro-Atlantic integration processes. 

Now more than ever, the Minister vowed, the Euro-Atlantic and European integration of the Western Balkans is vital to strengthen the security and stability. 

“The Euro-Atlantic integration is the best democratic tool to prevent conflicts and malicious interference of third parties,” Osmani said. 

FM Osmani welcomed the enlargement of the transatlantic family by admitting two new members, Finland and Sweden, stressing that this move is quite important since it will make the Alliance stronger and it will enhance the Euro-Atlantic security.

Addressing the event, the Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs, Bojan Marichikj, said the country can proudly say it had realized the dream of many generations.

“We need to also realize the dream of joining the European Union, now more realistic than ever before,” he said.

The current circumstances, Marichikj said, have confirmed to us we’d made the right decision by being on the right side. We have a strong justification for the major political sacrifices we’d made because they’ve proven to be worth it for the citizens and for the country. We hadn’t given up on NATO, so despite all the challenges, we’re not giving up on the EU either,” Marichikj said. 

With our responsible approach toward the reforms and the EU accession negotiations, we will meet the goal – North Macedonia by 2030 to be a successful European story, the Deputy PM vowed. 

In their addresses at the event, diplomats congratulated the country on the fourth anniversary of the NATO membership and on its contribution to collective security. They also shared their views on the current challenges. 

Swiss Ambassador Ami Larsson Jain, whose country joined NATO recently, thanked on behalf of Sweden for the support of her country’s membership application.  

She thanked the government of North Macedonia for its “unreserved support” of Sweden’s application amid difficult circumstances. We, the Ambassador noted, will be a trusted and credible partner showing solidarity with all NATO members. 

Congratulating North Macedonia on the fourth anniversary of the NATO membership, Ukrainian Ambassador Larysa Dir said the country has begun building its defense system, modernizing the Macedonian army in line with the NATO standards all the while the government has been responding to Ukraine’s calls for assistance in ammunition and weapons. 

“The Ukrainians thank North Macedonia for its assistance and for making decisions to help the defense forces of Ukraine to defend the country from the Russian aggression,” Dir said. 

Condemning the Russian aggression of Ukraine, Japanese Ambassador Otsuka Kazuya expressed solidarity with Ukraine and its people. 

EU Ambassador David Geer praised North Macedonia for its ongoing full alignment with EU’s foreign and security policy and commended it on the way it has set an example regarding Ukraine. 

According to him, the EU has been fostering a strategic partnership with NATO based on shared values and its commitment to tackling joint challenges and defending peace and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area. It’s very important, Geer said, facing a public fatigue amid many conflicts to continue to tackle the biggest threat to the Euro-Atlantic community in decades, Russia’s brutal aggression, violence and violation of the integrational law and the principles of the UN Charter, which undermine the global security and stability. 

Photo: Foreign Ministry, Secretariat for European Affairs