Friday, 19 February 2010
The EU Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighboring Policy, Mr. Štefan Füle, addressed the members of the Joint Parliamentary Committee European Union - Republic of Macedonia
Mr. Štefan Füle, the EU Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighboring Policy, addressed the Parliamentarians from the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia and from the European Parliament at the 7th Meeting of the Joint Parliamentary Committee European Union - Republic of Macedonia, held on 19 and 20 February 2010 in the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia. The President of the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia, the Coordinators of the Parliamentary Groups, the members of the National Council for European Integration, as well as the members of the Committees on European Issues and on Foreign Policy of the Assembly were also present at the meeting.
Mr. Füle expressed his pleasure from the fact that the Republic of Macedonia is among the first countries he has visited since his appointment as EU Commissioner. He said that his visit comes at a very important moment for the Republic of Macedonia - after the new European Parliament and European Commission have been constituted, and the entering into force of the Lisbon Treaty.
Mr. Füle emphasized that the enlargement remains one of the priorities of the European Union, especially regarding the Western Balkans countries, because the eu membership is the key for their future. Concerning the Republic of Macedonia, Mr. Füle pointed out that the country has substantially addressed the key priorities and has fulfilled the Copenhagen criteria.
Commissioner Füle congratulated the Republic of Macedonia on being granted visa liberalization. This was a result of hard work and the political consensus in the country, which forced the EU to keep its promise. Regarding the dispute over the name issue, the said that the maintaining of good-neighbourly relations and finding commonly acceptable solution remain a key priority, and emphasized that there is a “window of opportunity” for finding a solution, adding that his visit to Skopje is a clear sign of his commitment for resolution of the problem.