Ohrid, 16 June 2022 (MIA) - I sincerely hope that EU leaders will next week finally deliver on their promise of March 2020 for the start of the North Macedonia accession negotiations, President Stevo Pendarovski told a joint press conference with European Council President Charles Michel in Ohrid on Thursday. Pendarovski said Michel’s visit amid this turbulent period for Europe and the world a few days ahead of the EU Summit points to the need for coordination between the Balkans and the Union over the necessity for decisive and principled decisions. “Delay of North Macedonia’s Euro-integration process shatters EU credibility and diminishes its influence among our citizens. Putting conditions by a member-state to a candidate-country because of bilateral issues not only flagrantly violates the promise of a European future for the countries of the Western Balkans but could also fully compromise the EU enlargement policy and turn into a dangerous precedent that puts an end to this process that has been long-considered the Union’s best foreign policy,” said Pendarovski. According to him, the project of united Europe has always incorporated a clear geopolitical aspect, which is highlighted even more amid a war on the continent. “Therefore, the survival of the Union enlargement policy requires increased geopolitical responsibility especially by member-states. In spite of the real disappointments and fatigue from the wait for a breakthrough on the European path, our commitment is best seen in the country’s 100-percent alignment with the EU common foreign and security policy and its joining to all sanctions on Russia, whereas EU remains by far North Macedonia’s most important trading partner,” said Pendarovski. The President noted that any initiative that could really contribute to speeding up the integration process is welcome. “We see the latest idea through the new form called European political community in this context. Of course, we perceive this community not as a consolation prize or compensation for membership but only as an additional instrument for faster integration and more unity across Europe”, added Pendarovski.