Skopje, 21 October 2022 (MIA) – Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bujar Osmani, met with the German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Friday in Berlin. As announced by the MFA, Osmani and Baerbock at the meeting expressed their satisfaction with the high level of political dialogue and partnership relations that North Macedonia and Germany have established in the past 30 years of diplomatic relations, concluding that cooperation and partnership are characterized by three decades of support, cooperation and building bridges between both states and peoples. "We especially appreciate the fact that Germany is our most important partner in political and economic terms, especially when it comes to the issues of our political integration in the European and Euro-Atlantic organizations. North Macedonia remains a credible partner in the region, both from the point of view of NATO's presence in the Balkans, as a member state, and from the point of view of the protector and promoter of European credibility in the region," emphasized Osmani. Osmani thanked for the strong interest of Germany and Chancellor Olaf Scholz in revitalizing the Berlin process as a significant tool that supports the European integration processes of North Macedonia and the countries of the Western Balkans with the aim of their sooner joining the Union, but also for jointly addressing the current challenges facing the European continent. "Minister Baerbock confirmed that Germany's support for North Macedonia's European file will continue in the future at an unabated pace, expressing satisfaction with the historic step achieved by North Macedonia in starting accession negotiations this year," the MFA states.

Security issues, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the consequences faced by European countries were also topics of conversation between the two ministers. They emphasized the importance of NATO for the preservation of European and world security. "In this context, Minister Baerbock expressed gratitude, emphasizing the role of North Macedonia as a responsible and credible partner of the European Union in response to the crisis and 100 percent compliance with EU sanctions against Russia," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs informs.

The meeting also discussed the upcoming chairmanship of our country with the OSCE in 2023 and the possibilities for future cooperation in this context. dk/sk/