Skopje, 19 April 2026 (MIA) - Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Timcho Mucunski held several bilateral meetings with his counterparts on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum 2026, including Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel, Kosovo Foreign Minister Glauk Konjufca, Director for Continental Europe at the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs Brice Roquefeuil and Deputy Managing Director for Western Europe at the European External Action Service (EEAS), Emanuele Giaufret.

Mucunski announced the meetings on Facebook, noting that he had a busy political agenda on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade also issued a press release.

At the meeting with Minister Rangel, Mucunski said, the two sides reaffirmed excellent bilateral relations and discussed further ways to enhance them, with a focus on the EU integration process, the country’s active role in NATO, and its contribution to collective security.

“With Minister Konjufca, we exchanged views on bilateral cooperation, regional issues and European integration processes, as well as on further strengthening cooperation in this context. In meetings with Directors Roquefeuil and Giaufret, we discussed progress in the accession process, the implementation of the Reform Agenda, with particular emphasis on the rule of law and public administration as well as support in these processes and current developments in the region and Europe,” Mucunski said.

As part of his participation in the Forum, Mucunski spoke yesterday at a panel on new opportunities in regional and intercontinental connectivity, under the theme “New Opportunities in Connectivity.”

In his speech, Mucunski emphasized that connectivity is a key factor for economic resilience, regional stability and sustainable development, especially in conditions of increased geopolitical uncertainty and changes in global supply chains, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade said. He noted that the country, due to its strategic position at the crossroads of Europe and the broader Eurasian region, has an active role in advancing regional infrastructure and transport connectivity.

Photo: Timcho Mucunski’s Facebook