Kovacevski: Through the "Open Balkan" we improve cooperation, which also strengthens mutual trust

North Macedonia, Serbia and Albania within the "Open Balkan" initiative are improving regional cooperation, thereby strengthening mutual trust, said the Prime Minister of North Macedonia, Dimitar Kovacevski, RTV reports.

"The Open Balkan and the Berlin Process are regional initiatives that bring us closer together and are an incentive to keep a sharp focus on maintaining the stability and security of the region, as well as on the common strategic goal - European integration," Kovacevski told the "Politika" newspaper, Tanjug reported. 

Kovacevski pointed out that he is in regular, sometimes daily, contact with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama.

"This friendship not only surprised many, but I believe that it will serve as an inspiration for building good neighborly relations," said Kovacevski.

When asked how peace can emerge from the vortex of these events on the world political scene and whether this is a chance for small states like North Macedonia and Serbia, which together with Albania belong to the "Open Balkan" initiative, Kovacevski said that the solution of every open questions must be exclusively dialogue.

"It is incomprehensible that weapons are used in the 21st century, that innocent people suffer and that world peace is called into question. It is especially unacceptable that a geographically larger state applies force against a smaller democratically determined state, trying to threaten its independence and territorial integrity", Kovacevski underlined.

European integration, as he pointed out, is the future of the entire Western Balkans, and he added that for the countries belonging to that region, this means improving the quality of life of citizens and ensuring predictability in security and stability.

"After the war in Ukraine, it became clear to the European Union as well. We are a geographical part of Europe and we need unity in foreign policy, especially when it comes to the defense of peace and democratic values. It is not far at all for this to be achieved in 2030. On the contrary , it is a rational and achievable goal," Kovacevski said.

In response to the statement that the continuation of the European integration of North Macedonia depends on the fulfillment of the Bulgarian condition, i.e. the Franco-German proposal for the solution of the dispute between North Macedonia and Bulgaria, which implies a change in the Constitution of North Macedonia and the question of how he sees the further development of European integration, Kovacevski points out that the country is on the EU path, adding that bilateral screening is underway, and that this year he expects a new breakthrough in European integration.

He stated that he based his expectations on the determination of the majority of citizens in the country for EU membership.

Speaking about the relations between Belgrade and Skopje, Kovacevski notes that in difficult moments the true friendship come to the fore, and indicates that the pandemic and the world economic crisis have confirmed the good relations between the two countries.

"Mutual respect creates a basis for the further development of our good neighborly relations. We are jointly solving all the challenges imposed on us by the world crisis since the war in Ukraine," he said.