Friday, 9th October 2009
Delegation from the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia, headed by the President of the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia, Mr. Trajko Veljanoski met the leading politicians of the Republic of Croatia
Delegation from the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia, headed by the President of the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia, Mr. Trajko Veljanoski, and composed of the Members of the Parliament: Blagorodna Dulić, Vulnet Ameti and Tome Čingoski, which is in an official visit to the Republic of Croatia, had a meeting with the leaders of the Republic of Croatia.
At the meeting with the President of the Croatian Parliament, Mr. Luka Bebić, both delegations conformed the highly developed friendly relations between the two states and in that framework the regular meetings and cooperation between the two Parliaments. The President of the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia, Mr. Trajko Veljanoski welcomed the recent agreement between Croatia and Slovenia, which enables Croatia to continue with the EU accession negotiations. Both sides showed that they respect the EU standards not only declaratively, but also practically, and at the same time are responsible for the future of the EU. The Republic of Macedonia expects that, on the basis of the achieved results, the EC Report, which should be published soon, will include the date on opening the accession negotiations.
The President of the Croatian Parliament, Mr. Luka Bebić, underlined that the bilateral disputes cannot be an obstacle for EU-Integration. “Welcoming the recent recommendation for visa regime liberalization for the Republic of Macedonia, I expect that the Republic of Macedonia will receive the recommendation for the date for opening the accession negotiation. And we can intensify the cooperation between the two Legislative Houses in this particular area”.
At the meeting with the Croatian President Mr. Stjepan Mesić, the President of the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia, Mr. Trajko Veljanoski, underlined the highly developed relations between the two states, especially the cooperation between the two Parliaments. This is particularly important since the two countries are committed to EU membership. This parliamentary cooperation strengthens the stability of the Balkans and expresses our true European commitment, but also our historical and cultural belonging. In the framework of the bilateral relations, the President of the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia, Mr. Trajko Veljanoski, underlined the role of the Macedonian Ethnic Community in Croatia and the Croatian Ethnic Community in Macedonia, which contributes significantly to the overall development of the Republic of Macedonia. The President of Croatia Mr. Stjepan Mesić, referring to the continuous tendency of highly developed bilateral relations between the Republic of Macedonia and Republic of Croatia, stated that the two countries give and important contribution to the stability of the region and its European future. “I expect that the Republic of Macedonia will overcome the present problem very soon and that it will take the position as full member state of NATO it deserves, as well as start the negotiations with the EU.
At the Meeting with the Prime Minister of the Croatian Government, Ms. Jadranka Kosor, the President of the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia, Mr. Trajko Veljanoski emphasized the economic cooperation between the two countries: “I am convinced that the economic cooperation between our countries can be even better, especially through investments, bearing in mind the Macedonian legislation and the other measures undertaken by the Republic of Macedonia have created a good basis for foreign investments, and this is also recognized by the international institutions. This is especially important today when we are faced with the effects of the global economic crisis.
The Prime Minister of Croatia, Ms. Jadranka Kosor, pointed out that the economic cooperation is important not only concerning the bilateral relations, but also in wider context. “In order to overcome the economic we need a serious approach, and in that framework I am convinced that the Governments of the two countries, as well as other institutions, take adequate measures. This is why I expect that the economic chambers of the two countries, led by their economy interest, will initiate concrete project for further development of the economic cooperation. Regarding the EU Integration of Macedonia and Croatia, Ms Kosor stated that she believed that the Republic of Macedonia will receive the recommendation for the date for opening of negotiations.”