Skopje, 30 June 2025 (MIA) - Minister of European Affairs Orhan Murtezani met Monday with European Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos ahead of tomorrow's official start of the EU-Western Balkans Leaders' Meeting in Skopje.

Minister Murtezani said the first official visit of Commissioner Kos reaffirms the European Commission's continued engagement and support to North Macedonia's EU integration process, the Ministry of European Affairs said in a press release.

The meeting highlighted North Macedonia's results in the implementation of the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans and the Reform Agenda 2024-2027. Commissioner Kos welcomed the Government's commitment and reform efforts, and the dynamics in the implementation of priority measures in several key sectors - governance, energy, green transition, digitization, development of human capital, business environment and rule of law. She encouraged the Government to resume with the reform dynamics, while noting the importance of using the current momentum to make further progress and overcome the remaining challenges.

Minister Murtezani voiced assurance over the Government's commitment to European integration as its absolute strategic priority. He referred to the finalization of the roadmap on the rule of law and the roadmap on public administration reform as benchmarks for opening the Fundamentals cluster. The Minister also emphasized the country's readiness to actively take part in new initiatives that will be discussed at the summit, including the improvement of consumer protection, quality tourism and economic integration with the EU Single Market.

Interlocutors agreed that the Skopje summit is taking place amid a period when North Macedonia is reaffirming its leading role in the region, being the first country to complete all procedures to ensure the payment of the Growth Plan pre-financing funds in the amount of EUR 52.4 million.

Furthermore, they tackled the country's recent application to the Western Balkans Investment Facility with four new projects in the fields of cybersecurity, digitalization and enhancement of the education infrastructure, as well as the current implementation of laws and measures within the Reform Agenda.

Murtezani and Kos agreed that the upcoming period is crucial for the accession process, while highlighting the need for clear political will, dynamic realization of reform tasks and use of all fresh initiatives arising from the Skopje summit, reads the press release.

Photo: Ministry of European Affairs