Austrian Minister with Message from Skopje: Bilateral Issues Not to Stumbling Stumbling Road to EU

We are serious about support for the state on the road to the EU. We see how much it has been done and how many steps have been taken, and now 20 years have passed since then, and that we are now obliged to make bilateral topics bilateral, and not set up as stumbling stumbles, Austrian Minister Beate Beate Mainli said.

She emphasized that the country should take a few more steps, while at the same time the EU should have an interest in supporting and accelerating this process, being honest and not putting some other stumbling stones.

– My today’s message to all citizens of Northern Macedonia, we are really serious about supporting the state on the road to the EU. You are the part that Europe cannot give up, we are really serious when we say that we are not complete without you. The expansion of the European Union should not be reduced only to the technical process, but it is a real strong promise, we need economic prosperity, freedom, and of course I would like to emphasize that this country has done a lot-said Mainl-Rajsinger.

The Austrian minister noted that the country also had frustrating moments on the road to the EU and that the process for us is really very long.

– We notice from the European Union that we have an obligation to feel the citizens of this country that we are serious on this road. And that is why we advocate for gradual integration into the EU and we want to feel that we support you. As for 2022 it was a compromise. And it seems to me that there may be different opinions here, whether it was a happy or unresponsive solution, but that compromise was given then, it’s a fact. And that must be realized. Yes, we talked about it. Some more reforms need to be made by Macedonia-said Mainl-Rajsinger.

Mainl-Rajsinger pointed out that the entire Western Balkans is a place of changed geopolitical state, and that we should be aware that we are important partners for the response to that geopolitical situation and therefore, we need to go back to our common forces and strengthen this region.

The Austrian minister expressed his condolences to the tragedy in Kocani, pointing out that as a country they managed to make a slight contribution with their medical support.

– I am proud that the Austrians are the biggest investor in Macedonia and in the region and I had the opportunity to meet with representatives of Austrian companies, but also with civil society representatives, so our bilateral relations are so excellent that even representatives of Austrian companies and cultural institutions have told me how intense they can.

Minister Mucunski, for his part, pointed out that Austria is a continuous and principled supporter of our European path, a sincere ally and friend of our country and the entire region.

– Relations between our two countries are excellent – politically stable, economically strong and fulfilled with confidence and mutual support. Austria is the largest foreign investor in our country, which speaks to the depth of economic cooperation and confidence in our institutions. We especially appreciate the principled and continuous support that Austria gives to the European perspective of our country and the entire region. As a holder of the group of friends of the Western Balkans, Austria plays a key role in holding the EU’s enlargement on the EU agenda-Mucunski said at a news conference.

A significant part of the talks was dedicated to the European integration process, with Minister Mucunski thanking for the continued and loud support of Austria. The interlocutors agreed that the expansion of the European Union is a geopolitical necessity for the continent’s security and stability.