Skopje, 31 July 2022 (MIA) – President Stevo Pendarovski met Sunday with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who is paying an official visit to North Macedonia. Pendarovski welcomed Sanchez to the first-ever visit of a Spanish PM to the country, saying Madrid has been Skopje’s important partner throughout the years, both in bilateral and multilateral terms, as well as principled supporter to the country’s EU aspirations. He expressed satisfaction from the dynamics of political communication in recent years and voiced interest for enlargement of economic cooperation, trade exchange and investments, the President’s Office said in a press release. Regarding the EU decision for the start of accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania, Pendarovski said it is not only significant for the reform efforts of both countries but also impacts the current geopolitical and security circumstances in the region and the continent. In this context, the President said North Macedonia remains EU’s constructive partner in the response to the challenges posed by the military aggression in Ukraine. Interlocutors agreed that North Macedonia’s OSCE Chairmanship in 2023 and Spain’s EU Presidency in the second half of 2023 represent an excellent opportunity for mutual coordination over activities and priorities, reads the press release.