Skopje, 16 April 2026 (MIA) - On the margins of the 152nd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), taking place from April 15-19, in Istanbul, Parliament Speaker Afrim Gashi held bilateral meetings with representatives of national parliaments and international organizations.

During the meeting with the Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia, Shalva Papuashvili, both sides expressed satisfaction with the positive development of bilateral relations and emphasized their shared readiness to deepen parliamentary cooperation, exchange experiences in implementing reforms and strengthen democratic institutions and the rule of law.

The significance of the 67th PABSEC General Assembly in Tbilisi was also underscored as an opportunity to advance dialogue. Speaker Papuashvili invited Speaker Gashi to pay a visit to Tbilisi during that time.

Speaker Gashi visited the headquarters of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PABSEC), where he met with Secretary General Asaf Hajiyev. The two interlocutors reaffirmed the Republic of North Macedonia’s commitment to active participation in PABSEC. They exchanged views on opportunities for more active involvement of national parliaments in regional cooperation, particularly in the areas of economic connectivity, infrastructure development and energy security.

Speaker Gashi also met with the President of the Global Council for Tolerance and Peace, Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Jarwan. At the meeting, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to the cooperation envisaged in the memorandum of cooperation signed in November 2025 in Skopje. Speaker Gashi underscored North Macedonia’s role in promoting tolerance.

All meetings were held in a constructive and friendly atmosphere. Speaker Gashi reiterated the Parliament of the Republic of North Macedonia’s commitment to active parliamentary diplomacy and to strengthening international cooperation.

Photo: Parliament of the Republic of North Macedonia