Tuesday, 9 October 2012
THE PRESIDENT VELJANOSKI HAD A MEETING WITH THE VICE PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC, MR. MIROSLAV LAJČÁK
At the meeting, the President Veljanoski expressed great appreciation to the Government of the Slovak Republic for the continuous support for the Republic of Macedonia on its path to the NATO and EU.
In anticipation of the Progress Report on the Republic of Macedonia, the President Veljanoski underlined that he expects the Republic of Macedonia, for the fourth time, to receive a recommendation m the European Commission on opening negotiations, hoping that by December, the European Union will determine date for opening accession negotiations with the Republic of Macedonia. He underlined that the major part of the public is pro membership in NATO and EU and that the full-fledged membership in NATO and EU is the strategic and firm determination of the Republic of Macedonia.
Also, the President Veljanoski informed that the reforms are not for the sake of the Progress Reports only, but because of the essential needs of the Macedonian society and economy, aiming for the Republic of Macedonia to reach the desired level, to be competitive and modern in the European family, both in the area of politics and economy.
The President Veljanoski, in the light of the present political events, underlined that the Republic of Macedonia and its institutions have the needed capacity to face every new challenge, every key reform, in order for the processes to be solved in the institutions.
The Vice Prime Minister and Minister on Foreign Affairs, Mr Lajčák expressed appreciation for this historic visit, since this is the first official visit of a President of Parliament since the independence. He underlined the great roll of the Parliamentary diplomacy in the promotion of the bilateral and multilateral relations of the states. He was also interested in the Euro integrative process of the Republic of Macedonia, for the political events, underlining the opinion that the Republic of Macedonia should receive a date on opening accession negotiations.
The President Veljanoski had a meeting with the Vice President of the National Council of the Slovak Republic and Chair of the Group for Cooperation with the Republic of Macedonia, Ms. Jana Laššáková, as well as with the Macedonian businessmen and eminent representatives of the Macedonian Community in the Slovak Republic. The President Veljanoski underlined that the promotion of the political relations will result in strengthening the economic cooperation between the two friendly countries, as well as strengthening the trade and motivating Slovak investments in the Republic of Macedonia.