Skopje, 26 February 2025 (MIA) - Parliament Speaker Afrim Gashi met Wednesday with the Speaker of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, as part of a visit of a parliamentary delegation to the UK.

According to a press release from Parliament, in London Gashi highlighted the excellent bilateral relations in a political and economic context, and highlighted the commitment to fostering a long-standing partnership. The Speaker also expressed gratitude for the continued support for the country’s Euro-integrations and the firm partnership within NATO.

“Sir Hoyle touched upon the current geopolitical situation, noting that wars and aggressions are not a solution for anyone and we should all work to overcome the situation and build stable societies with strong parliaments,” said Parliament in its press release.

Regarding parliamentary cooperation, Gashi and Hoyle highlighted the importance of cooperation between the parliamentary cooperation groups, through exchanging experiences and the application of efficient British experiences in areas of special interest for the Macedonian Parliament.

“Sir Hoyle voiced readiness over concrete British support through senior expert assistance of MPs and civil servents on a long-term basis,” Parliament said. 

According to the press release, the Macedonian parliamentary delegation underscored the importance of Parliament’s cooperation with the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, “which has implemented many projects promoting the work of MPs and Parliament”.

The delegation expressed gratitude for the UK’s support of the EU’s enlargement policy, and also spoke about the partnership of the two countries within NATO, assessing it as beneficial for both countries. 

Gashi noted that EU enlargement with the Western Balkans isn’t only a political but also a security issue.  

“He presented the example of his country, which despite all the concessions it has made that touch upon the Macedonian identity and the name change, managed to secure membership into NATO but not the EU,” the press release said.

“Speaker Sir Hoyle underscored the importance of parliamentary diplomacy and soft power and sincerely pledged to raise these significant issues at the highest level and highlight them in the meetings with colleagues and other high political stakeholders.”

The parliamentary delegation headed by Gashi is the first to pay a visit to UK Parliament. It consists of Deputy Speaker Jovan Mitreski, MPs Nikola Micevski and Arbana Pasholi, and Parliament’s Secretary General Marina Dimovska.

Photo: Parliament of the Republic of North Macedonia