Skopje, 26 July 2022 (MIA) – Opportunities for enhancement of bilateral relations, North Macedonia’s Euro-integration process, enhancement of the legal framework and strengthening of economic cooperation, as well as defense cooperation within NATO were in the focus of Tuesday’s meeting of President Stevo Pendarovski with visiting Portugal’s Foreign Minister João Gomes Cravinho. Pendarovski thanked Cravinho for Portugal’s support to North Macedonia’s European agenda, saying the recent Intergovernmental Conference in Brussels marked the start of a new chapter in the country’s Euro-integration process, the President’s Office said in a press release. In this regard, the President said the country is intensively readying for the screening process, due to start in September, which is expected to give an overview of the preparedness and alignment of the Macedonian and European legislation. Interlocutors agreed that opening of the accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania is of enormous significance amid the current geopolitical and security circumstances caused by the Russian aggression in Ukraine, reads the press release.