Escobar: North Macedonia has a place in the EU

The US envoy to the Western Balkans, Gabriel Escobar, paid a visit to Skopje today, where he stated that the US strongly supports the integration of Northern Macedonia into the European Union.

Escobar, who is the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, said: “We all think that Northern Macedonia is part of Europe, both culturally and historically, but also as a growing economy. You must have your place at the table. In this context, we will continue to support your efforts in the integration process, in the continuation of reforms, so that integration becomes a reality “.

The US diplomat also stressed the importance and assistance that Northern Macedonia can provide in facing the challenges that may arise not only in the Balkans, but also in Europe as a whole.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Northern Macedonia, Bujar Osmani, stated that the United States is a strategic partner of Skopje, a close ally in NATO and a strong supporter since Northern Macedonia declared its independence.

“Northern Macedonia remains a reliable ally of the United States in the Western Balkans region. We are grateful for everything they have done and we are convinced that this message is well understood and accepted by all European Union countries. There is no doubt that the Western Balkans perspective is the safest investment in the stability of the region. Now is the time for the EU to start negotiations with northern Macedonia,” Osmani said.

Osmani said that the EU Summit will be held on December 14, but according to him this does not mean that it is the last chance for Skopje to start talks in December.

“Even after December 14, any day until the end of the year, Slovenia, as the EU presidency holder, can convene an extraordinary meeting of the European ministers’ meeting, if it receives information from Bulgaria that they are ready to accept negotiating framework with Northern Macedonia. So the whole month of December is the opportunity to start membership talks. But this can happen even later,” said Osmani.

Earlier, Escobar was received by Macedonian President Stevo Pendarovski. The President of Northern Macedonia stressed at the meeting “the importance of strong and continuous support from the United States in achieving the strategic goals of Northern Macedonia since the declaration of independence until today.”

Northern Macedonia has not yet started negotiations for EU membership, as this process has been blocked by Bulgaria. Sofia in November 2020 vetoed the start of talks between Skopje and Brussels, saying the blockade would remain in place until an agreement was reached on Macedonian identity and language, but also on disputes over the two countries’ historic past.