Skopje, 18 March 2026 (MIA) - President Gordana Siljanovska Davkova met Wednesday with Slovak MEP Miriam Lexmann of the European People's Party Group.

Talks focused on the country's European integration, with the President highlighting that membership in the European Union remains a strategic priority despite the blockage of the process, Siljanovska Davkova's Office said in a press release. 

Siljanovska Davkova pointed out that the accession process should be based on merit, meeting the Copenhagen criteria, with respect for fundamental European documents, without bilateral conditionality. According to her, the blockade represents a serious problem and a dangerous precedent that could be (mis)used in other cases, threatening not only enlargement, but also security.

Noting that the country is 100 percent aligned with the European Union's common foreign and security policy, the President stressed that in times of complex geopolitical challenges, the best way to strengthen resilience towards third parties is to integrate the countries of the Western Balkans region in the Union.

According to Lexmann, the EU is the natural political home of the Western Balkan countries, given their geographical, historical and cultural affiliation.

Interlocutors agreed and reaffirmed the importance of further cooperation and engagement of EU members, including Slovakia, in order to overcome the obstruction of the Macedonian accession to the EU.

Photo: President Gordana Siljanovska Davkova's Office