Monday, 7 December 2020
ONLINE MEETING OF THE STEERING GROUP FOR COOPERATION WITH THE SWEDISH PARLIAMENT
The Steering Group of the Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia for Cooperation with the Swedish Parliament, the Riksdag, today held its first online meeting with the Steering Group of the Swedish Parliament.
In the meeting participated the MPs: Mr. Fadil Zendeli – Vice – President of the Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia and Chairman of the Steering Group, Mr. Martin Kostovski, Ms. Maja Moracanin, Ms. Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, Mr. Aleksandar Veljanovski, Ms. Arta Bilalli Zendeli and Ms. Arbana Pasholli.
The Steering Group of the Swedish Parliament is led by Ms. Lotta Johnsson Fornarve, Second Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Sweden.
The main objective of the cooperation with the Swedish Parliament is the strengthening of democratic institutions and promotion of democratic values. The focus of the cooperation is the exchange of experiences between the parliamentarians and building relations between the Parliaments in order to create networks and thus to provide opportunities for support and exchange of knowledge. The cooperation is foreseen to last two to three years with the possibility of extension. 
In the meeting, the MPs expressed their enormous gratitude to their fellows in the Swedish Parliament for beginning the cooperation for support of the democratic development of the Republic of North Macedonia, in the period when they mark the 100 anniversary of introduction of the universal and equal right to vote. We consider that the cooperation will cover all MPs in various ways and will contribute to improving the parliamentary life, and a better organization of the work process, the way of decision – making and inclusion with all stakeholders in it.
In the meeting were discussed the topics of cooperation which are determined with an agreement of both parties. The cooperation includes topics such as: gender equality, the importance of opposition, relations with voters and civil society, openness and transparence, parliamentary control, committee work, legislative role of the Parliaments, Rules of Procedure – experiences and problems, the Swedish Ombudsman, the work of the Parliaments during the pandemics etc.
Mr. Miki Milkovski, Deputy Secretary General of the Assembly, and his homologue of the Swedish Parliament had their addresses on the Covid 19 pandemics and its challenges and impact on the work of the Parliament and the whole society.
At the end, the MPs expressed hope that the obtained knowledge and experiences from the cooperation will contribute to further consolidation of the Republic of North Macedonia and also to increase of regional cooperation.