Monday, 10 June 2013
MEETING OF THE PRESIDENT VELJANOSKI AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE, MR. JEAN CLAUDE MIGNON
The President of the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia, Mr. Trajko Veljanoski expressing pleasure from the visit of the Republic of Macedonia and the meeting, underlined that the fulfilment of the obligations and the efforts towards the Council of Europe are essential for the creation of a democratic society. Hence, the recommendations of the Council of Europe for the Republic of Macedonia are always expression of the support for further democratic development and the Republic of Macedonia always pays great attention to them.
The meeting referred to the recent local elections, for which the President Veljanoski underlined that they were organized in a fair and democratic manner, when citizens expressed their free will and made their choice on the representatives in the local self governance.
Mr. Mignon in this context underlined that he evaluates the local elections as positive, and in his opinion there were no problems at the elections and they were executed well, which brings the Republic of Macedonia the positive evaluation in the Progress Report.
The President Veljanoski underlined that the Council of Europe itself was the organization through which the European and Euro-Atlantic integration of the Republic of Macedonia started, in 1993, with the Macedonian Assembly’s status of special guest and then in November 1995 as a full fledged member. In 2010, said Mr. Veljanoski, with the first Chairmanship with the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, the Republic of Macedonia demonstrated that it is prepared and has capacity to actively contribute in solving the issues the Council of Europe is facing with, representing the interests of 800 million European citizens. Mr. Mignon fully agreed with this statement, and underlined the great diplomatic level of the Chairmanship by the Republic of Macedonia.
The President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Mr. Mignon, underlined that the mechanisms and the instruments of the Council of Europe connected with the implementation of the conventions and charters, especially in the monitoring procedure connected with the obligations and duties overtaken with the membership, have provided results.
The meeting, in addition to the successfully finalized local elections, referred to the implementation of the Ohrid Framework Agreement, as well as the current political situation, such as the imposed dispute for the name of the Republic of Macedonia and our Southern neighbour, when the President Veljanoski underlined that it is an issue of identity, an issue of crucial importance for every person and nation.
Both interlocutors expressed pleasure from the meeting and hope that the good cooperation will continue, as well as conviction that the Republic of Macedonia will finalize the Post Monitoring Dialogue with the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in very near future.