Skopje, 6 May 2022 (MIA) - It is necessary for the European Union to set a date for holding the first intergovernmental conference with without delay, which will mark the beginning of membership negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania, and it’s best to take place during the French EU presidency, Parliament Speaker Talat Xhaferi said Friday in his address at the 18th Conference of Parliament Speakers of the Adriatic and Ionian Initiative. “Although each country has its own strategy and takes the necessary steps for protection of its territorial integrity and sovereignty, however, the responsibility for the stability of the region and its European integration is also a responsibility of each country individually. For the Republic of North Macedonia, NATO membership means being part of the effort to maintain peace, and of course, the fact that we are together and united under that common umbrella instils a sense of power and security at the same time, it has a very positive impact on the whole region and beyond.,” he told the event titled “European integration: Western Balkans, an added value to the Adriatic-Ionian region and the European Union.” Being aspiring countries, Xhaferi said, it is important for us to intensify the cooperation between parliaments and parliamentary bodies within the Adriatic – Ionian Initiative on what will help us in our reforms and at the same time we will be able to articulate our interests, our issues and sometimes maybe our dilemmas in the European Parliament and in front of other institutions of the European Union. He welcomed the European Union Strategy for the Adriatic – Ionian Region (EUSAIR) calling it useful tool for economic cooperation between member states and candidate countries. “We highly appreciate the role of the initiative in increasing regional cooperation and encouraging the enlargement process with the countries of Western Balkans. As countries, as a region, we need to turn to each other, always and in any form of the initiative, cooperation, joint project and multilateral cooperation, in order to be attractive and competitive for the big world markets. This will contribute to the well-being of our citizens, states and region,” said the Speaker. Such events, Xhaferi added, are vital for encouraging mutual parliamentary cooperation in areas of mutual interest, including economy, transport and communications, environmental protection, and science and culture, in the Adriatic-Ionian region. He recalled that the Adriatic and Ionian Initiative in 2000 was formed as a way to strengthen security in the countries in the region and to push forward the EU integration process. “Now, it is necessary more than ever, given that Russian aggression against Ukraine has shown how important the European Union enlargement process is for the security, stability and democratic consolidation of the whole region,” Speaker Xhaferi stressed adding that North Macedonia’s Parliament on March 3 passed a declaration condemning the attacks against Ukraine that threaten its territorial integrity and sovereignty. The document also calls on national institutions to be in close coordination with NATO and EU member states involving joint engagement to support diplomatic efforts for immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Ukraine. “This is something I will personally advocate for, because I can still see the sad pictures of the ruined cities in Ukraine and what I saw during my recent visit in Kyiv. The aggression against Ukraine is something that should not have been allowed to happen. It is a shame and weakness of the whole modern and democratic world with the ‘allegedly’ learned and shared values. At the same time, it showed us that we are still weak and fragile and that there is danger of war spilling over, especially if we stand alone against the wind,” Speaker Xhaferi said in his address.