Tuesday, July 11th 2017
MEETING OF THE PRESIDENT XHAFERI WITH THE AUSTRALIAN MINISTER BISHOP
Within the frames of the official visit to the Republic of Macedonia, today the President of the Parliament of the Republic of Macedonia, Mr. Talat Xhaferi had a meeting with Mrs. Julie Bishop, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Australia. This visit corresponds with the beginning of the reformatory processes in the Republic of Macedonia, which started with the constitution of the new Government and represents the first official visit of a high official from Australia since the independence of the Republic of Macedonia, from 1991 till today.
The President of the Assembly, Mr. Talat Xhaferi expressed great pleasure from this visit, stressing that the high level parliamentary diplomacy between the two states will contribute to further enrichment and advancement of the mutual friendly and opened bilateral relations. In that regard, the President of the Assembly, expressed readiness to host his Australian colleague and expressed hope that the cooperation groups which are regularly established in the two parliaments will continue in the spirit of inventive and quality cooperation.
The overall relations between the Republic of Macedonia and Australia are characterised with a high level of friendship, constructive and transparent political dialog based on partnership relations and mutual respect, wherein the numerous Diaspora from the Republic of Macedonia represents a bridge of connection and enrichment of the mutual relations. We expect the Decision of the Australian Government regarding the usage of the reference in the international relations to considerably change the perceptions and the level of democratic values.
The minister Bishop spoke with a great satisfaction about the reformatory agenda of the new Government and the 3-6-9 Plan, with a special accent to the part of respecting the rule of law and zero tolerance for corruption, which will place the country on the road to European and Euro-Atlantic integrations, to what Australia gives a strong support. Underlining the rich tradition for centuries of the Australian parliamentary democracy, which dates since 1901, Mrs. Bishop expressed expectation that the exchange of experiences from the parliamentary practice and the principles of the parliamentary democracy between the Parliament of the Republic of Macedonia and the Parliament of Australia will represent the engine of the reformatory processes on a parliamentary level. The Australian side highly values and greets the engagements for transparency of the legislature, the opened approach towards the civil sector, the nongovernmental organisations, the media, as well as the monitoring role over the work of the Government and the other state institutions. These steps will considerably strengthen the role of the Parliament as keeper of the sovereignty and the constitutional order.
The interlocutors shared aspects regarding the unpleasant events from April 27th, whereas they concluded that only with a clear and powerful vision it can be continued towards the building of stabile and democratic institutions and a Parliament that will adopt quality law solutions to the benefit of the citizens and the future of the Republic of Macedonia.
Australia will further continue with the support to the Republic of Macedonia and her citizens in the democratic social processes and will be her strong partner on an international plan.