Prime Minister,

Dear people of North Macedonia,

thank you for the warm welcome here. It is my first time in North Macedonia. It is good to be in Skopje.

We just had a meeting on a broad range of topics. The European Union stands firmly with North Macedonia on your path to the European Union. North Macedonia is the first beneficiary in the region of the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans. You were just describing how well your economy is doing, I think we also benefit from that. And [you are] the first country in the region to sign a Security and Defence Partnership with the European Union.

This partnership boosts joint work on Ukraine, hybrid threats and counterterrorism, and it shows that gradual integration is working in practice – but we both want more, that is very clear.

North Macedonia belongs to the European Union. You have a strong track record of aligning with European Common Security and Foreign Policy. This is very important to us, especially in these very turbulent times that we see major geopolitical shifts happening in the world.

Your contribution to the EUFOR Althea in Bosnia Herzegovina is a clear example that you are a reliable partner for the regional security. I commend your strong efforts made by North Macedonia and your government on your reform agenda.

You know better than anybody that the road to membership is not easy, so my message today is to stay on course and to take the next steps necessary towards the opening of the negotiations. It will also mean that the European Union will give North Macedonia even more support, be it in strengthening the rule of law, fighting corruption, or modernizing North Macedonians public administration.

We know from experience that the progress can be fast if there is political will. Albania and Montenegro are good examples of this. And North Macedonia faces area-defining choices for its citizens and its future. We believe that the integration of the Western Balkans into the European Union is the best recipe for peace and security, also in the whole region.

So let us move together forward, and I assure you that European Union stands firmly by your side.

So once again, dear Prime Minister, thank you for hosting me here today.

Link to the video: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/video/I-272442

Q&A.

Q. I have a question to High Representative Kallas. The Macedonian government and Prime Minister yesterday said that they believe the EU will find mechanisms to de-block our euro-integrative process. What are the mechanisms of Brussels for final de-blocking of this process? Another question arising from your speech: how much can a non-integrated Western Balkans be a security threat?

Thank you for your question. So first, it is clear that we want North Macedonia to really move on this path. We know that there are obstacles on the way, and we were discussing those as well to find really mechanisms to overcome these obstacles. So, of course, the Prime Minister can explain his ideas better, but I think there is definitely room [to] operate. I would not go into details if we move on. Then, of course, we will let also the press know.

[When it] comes to the non-integration of the Western Balkans, how big of threat it is. I think if we look at the big picture the world, then we clearly see these different big powers shifting; tectonic shifts. It is in our interest – if we look at the map, because the Western Balkans are in Europe – that we are all fully integrated, because the European Union is a peace project. And that also makes it possible to bring the tensions down in the Western Balkan regions. I think it is definitely a security issue as well. Thank you.

Q. Two weeks ago, you personally from Ukraine, announced that the European Union has a plan B, even plan C for the European integration of Ukraine. Last week, President Costa also shared that the European Union does not have a plan B for North Macedonia. Why?

This is also for the other cases that you referred. Why are we focusing on plan A and trying to make the plan A work? Because when you are taking already Plan B, then the Plan A is out of the question. Being very critical here, but what I want to say is that we still have hope that the plan A works. We are working for this. And if not, then we will move into the next phase. Yes.

Link to the video: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/video/I-272688

North Macedonia: remarks by High Representative/Vice-President Kaja Kallas at the joint press conference

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