Debate: Parliament plays a key role in implementing reform agenda, political consensus essential
- EU membership is the only alternative for the Republic of North Macedonia and its citizens. The Reform Agenda is more than just a list of reforms, it is a strategic framework with clear goals and set deadlines. The Parliament plays a key role in its implementation and must show vision, wisdom, comprehensive cooperation, seriousness and sincere commitment for reforms in the best interest of the citizens and the country.

Skopje, 22 April 2025 (MIA) – EU membership is the only alternative for the Republic of North Macedonia and its citizens. The Reform Agenda is more than just a list of reforms, it is a strategic framework with clear goals and set deadlines. The Parliament plays a key role in its implementation and must show vision, wisdom, comprehensive cooperation, seriousness and sincere commitment for reforms in the best interest of the citizens and the country.
Parliament Speaker, Afrim Gashi, stated this at Tuesday’s joint meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on European Affairs and the National Council for European Integration, where the benefits of the Reform Agenda 2024-2027 were discussed.
He noted that this is not merely about fulfilling obligations, but about an exceptional opportunity to enhance democracy, ensure the rule of law, and build strong institutions that will serve the citizens. Taking into account the Parliament’s key role, as Speaker of this institution, he expressed readiness to address every legislative initiative and reform with utmost priority.
“The Parliament will remain a continuous partner in this process. European integration must unite all political actors, as it is a national project requiring broad consensus and collective will. Citizens are tired of promises and expect results, thus, the reform agenda presents an opportunity to show them that the integration process is a real, concrete effort, not just a campaign or utopian goal. We must acknowledge that, after aligning our legislation with that of the EU, it has become clear that the real challenges for us in this process have never been the reform issues, but unfortunately, the identity-related issues. Our path to the EU has not been easy; it has required and continues to require exceptional dedication, but this is the only path worth taking. This path demands courage for change, patience in facing challenges and obstacles, and foresight and wisdom to unite our efforts. I am confident that at the end of this tunnel lies a European state,” Gashi stated, urging that now is the time for the state and all political forces to continue with comprehensive cooperation, seriousness, and true commitment to implement reforms.
The President of the National Council for European Integration, Venko Filipche, in his address, assessed that our path to the EU has taken too long, we have made many sacrifices, but we have not seen significant results.
“We all know the reasons, but the question arises whether we should give up now. I have the impression that that even though we are administratively closer, in terms of values, we are farther from the EU. We should compare ourselves with some neighbouring countries that became EU members, how they gained access to large European funds and transformed before our eyes,” Filipche said, pointing to Bulgaria and Romania.
As a candidate country, he said, we only have access to pre-accession funds – the IPA instrument. Meanwhile, Bulgaria and Romania received €46 billion from EU development funds during the same period, while the Western Balkan countries received about 5% of GDP per capita on average, compared to their 25%. For the period from 2024 to 2027, they will receive €41 billion, and the region will receive around €7-8 billion.
“And that is the key to the matter: there is no other source of funds or loan that will invest in the key task, which is human capital. Only by investing in an open economy, an economy based on knowledge, and in the education system will we see visible results. The results from the student assessments are devastating; in both the PISA and TIMSS tests, we are at the bottom in Europe and the world, and the children are practically illiterate. It's time to view things from a different perspective, to get in, work, and fight for whatever is on the table. Whatever obstacle we face, we must unite because when we're together, we bring all our capacities together, and there's nothing we can't overcome. The worst scenario is leaving these problems behind for future generations to solve, because no one will forgive us for that,” Filipche said.
Parliamentary Committee on European Affairs chair Antonijo Miloshoski welcomed the fact that the EU praised the country for being the first in the region in terms of its Reform Agenda, both in terms of its drafting and the initial results. He said we must be constructively critical in order to increase the productivity of the executive branch in implementing the reform agenda. As a Parliament, we need to support the reforms, he stated, and in the next period, enhance the oversight function of the legislative body in implementing the reform agenda, through which our progress will be evaluated, mainly through more oversight and public debates. He also highlighted the internal reform status within the EU.
“At a time when Macedonia is working on its Reform Agenda, we shouldn't be surprised that the EU is also working on its own reforms, and sometimes, from a political perspective, they do not match. This is because while Macedonia's goal is to reform quickly to become more prepared for EU membership, some EU member states openly announce that the Union is not ready for full enlargement with new members, and that the EU must work on its own reform agenda, reforming its system, the number of Commissioners, the number of MEPs, decision-making, consensus, and qualified majority. This process will take time for us to achieve our reform goals, and I am sure it will also take the EU time to reform internally, after which we hope they will be ready to welcome new members,” Miloshoski said, adding that our agenda, which includes 136 steps from December 2024 to August 2027, along with 60 legal and sub-legal acts, cannot be successfully implemented without a constructive contribution from the opposition.
Minister of European Affairs, Orhan Murtezani, said that the Parliament understands better than any other institution that EU integration requires reforms and unwavering political commitment. The Reform Agenda is not just a document, but a shared ambition towards more transparent and just society and the role of the Parliament in this process is crucial.
“Our vision is clear North Macedonia integrated into the European family with strong institutions, a competitive economy, and a united society. Achieving this vision depends on your dedication and selfless support. As the Minister of European Affairs, I assure you of my full commitment to this strategic goal. The experts at the Ministry of European Affairs and I are at your disposal at any time to work together to seize this historic opportunity. We will not only meet European standards but will also apply European values in our country,” Murtezani noted.
Swiss Ambassador Véronique Hulmann addressed the event on behalf of Switzerland and Sweden, both of which strongly support the country’s European integration efforts. She emphasized that the expectations for politicians are high and that, with regard to the reform agenda, the Assembly plays an important role in adopting EU laws, enhancing executive control, fostering democratic development, and encouraging political consensus.
Ben Nupnau, Deputy Head of EU Delegation to the country, congratulated the country for being the first to sign the pre-financing agreement for the Growth Plan and the reform agenda, seeing it as a credible step toward future progress. He noted that the reform agenda is not a substitute for EU membership, but rather a tool for strengthening European policies and practices within the government, aiming for a modernized economy and a better business climate with access to the EU single market.
“The planned reforms address issues that have been priorities for years. Now is the time for decisive action from the government and parliament... Monitoring, evaluation with the Ministry of Finance, and donors is crucial. This way, complementarity and strengthened effects of the Reform Agenda will be achieved. Therefore, consensus is needed on key policies and legislative measures. This will enable Parliament to plan ahead, prioritize the most important reforms. The Committee on European Affairs and the National Council for European Integration play a very important role in this process to ensure the effective and timely implementation of the reforms. The EU remains committed to facilitating the path towards EU membership and achieving a greater degree of convergence with economic standards,” Nupnau said.
Vladimir Drobnjak, former chief negotiator for Croatia's EU accession talks and expert at UNOPS, spoke on the topic 'Reforms as a Shared Responsibility: Building Consensus for North Macedonia’s EU Accession.'
Under the €6 billion Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, North Macedonia will receive €750.4 million, in addition to the existing IPA programs, which offer over €500 million in grants for funding. The country is the first to receive the initial pre-financing tranche of €52.4 million from the European Union’s Reform and Growth Facility.
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