Skopje, 6 October 2022 (MIA) - Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs and Chief Negotiator with the EU, Bojan Marichikj, in his address at the 20th meeting of the EU-North Macedonia Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) in Strasbourg underlined the importance of including and cooperating with various social stakeholders all the while putting an accent on Parliament, considered a key institution for progress in the negotiations and their dynamic. "Parliament is a vital partner in the EU accession process, which is why the role of its bodies, namely the European Affairs Committee and the National EU Integration Council, will be defined in a cooperation memorandum. Taking into consideration the importance of a national consensus, we will make all the efforts to ensure the opposition joins the process," said Marichikj. He said his country has planned its dynamic as regards EU full-fledged membership, particularly in terms of the country's preparations for the screening process and the consecutive activities offering a short overview of the adopted negotiating structure, based on the long-term coordination mechanisms of the EU all the while reflecting the novelties of the EU's revised methodology for negotiating. At the European Parliament, Marichikj voiced his satisfaction with the support extended through the activities as part of the Jean Monnet dialogue saying he hopes that cooperation will intensify. "Your support, partnership and advice would be even more appreciated in our preparations for the bilateral screening, because one of the new areas, "Functioning of democratic institutions" in the Fundamentals cluster 1, is crucial in the accession process alongside the sub-area on functioning of parliaments in the democratic institutions," he told MEPs. Speaking at the session, the Deputy PM informed the MEPs about the screening process, and the successfully concluded negotiations for the FRONTEX agreement. He also announced the document will be signed in a few weeks. "Regarding rule of law, a new judicial strategy is in the works alongside the process to digitize the courts," Marichikj said adding that financial investigations resume.