Wednesday, 3 November 2021
MEETING OF PRESIDENT XHAFERI WITH THE MEP THIJS REUTEN
The President of the Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia, Talat Xhaferi, today had a meeting with the MEP Thijs Reuten, who is on a working visit to the Republic of North Macedonia.
President Xhaferi noted the decades-long cooperation with the European Parliament at various levels and welcomed the continued support of our aspirations for membership in the European Union. He informed that the annual Resolution of the European Parliament and the Report of the European Commission which provide a balanced picture of the current situations in the country, for the Assembly and state institutions are always an orientation for the implementation of further reforms. The European Parliament initiatives, such 
as the Western Balkan Speakers' Summit of President Sassoli and the Jean Monnet Dialogue, which substantially promote the political dialogue between the parliaments in the region, as well as the dialogue within the parliaments of aspiring countries, were also welcomed. Thanks to the Jean Monnet Dialogue, our Assembly is for many years the only functional Assembly in the region, Xhaferi said. He informed the interlocutor about the current status of relations with the Republic of Bulgaria, expressing hope that soon we will witness the overcoming of the situation and will start the membership negotiations with the Union.
MEP Reuten praised President Xhaferi’s role in improving the democratic culture in the country, which according to him, could serve as an example for some EU member states. He stressed that political actors 
should maintain the focus on the upcoming reforms, and the European Union should complete its part of the puzzle in this process. The European Parliament believes that the promise made to the country should have been fulfilled a long time ago. MEPs will continue to help the Assembly on its path to European integration through dialogue and partnership, especially during the membership negotiations themselves. In this context, Mr. Reuten expressed interest in the next joint steps of the Assembly and the European Parliament in the future. His message to the President was to continue his work of maintaining political dialogue and openness to the public as before.