IN SKOPJE, LITHUANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER AND THE COUNTRY’S HIGHEST-RANKING OFFICIALS DISCUSS EUROPEAN INTEGRATION
On 6-7 October, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Linas Linkevičius paid a working visit to Skopje, where he held meetings with the country’s highest-ranking officials, including the President Gjorge Ivanov, Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikola Poposki, and representatives of the Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs and Committee on European Affairs, to discuss the process of the country’s European integration and important issues related to the Western Balkans.
Titus Corlăţean, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Romanian Presidency of the South-East European Cooperation Process, accompanied the Lithuanian Foreign Minister to Skopje.
The head of the Lithuanian diplomacy positively assessed reforms necessary for the European integration of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and called for a sustained dialogue between all political parties.
“Recent progress demonstrates the ability to develop a dialogue and to reach a compromise on domestic policy. The agreement reached by the country’s parties on joint objectives is an important step, which should be seen as a sign-post for taking important decisions,” L.Linkevičius said.
The Minister also expressed full support of the Lithuanian Presidency of the EU Council for European integration objectives of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and stressed the need for further progress.
“The prospect for negotiations with the EU is realistic and achievable. During the period of the Presidency, all EU Member States will assess the country’s progress. Therefore, it is important to take action and demonstrate readiness to open accession negotiations with the EU,” L.Linkevičius noted.
During the meetings, L.Linkevičius also presented priorities for Lithuania’s Presidency of the EU Council, recent achievements and challenges. T.Corlăţean presented activities of the South-East Europe Cooperation Process, priorities for the Romanian Presidency, as well as opportunities to strengthen regional cooperation in the Western Balkans.
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