Zagreb - Croatia will continue to provide political, institutional, and expert support to North Macedonia in its efforts to join the EU, Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković said in Skopje on Thursday, during meetings with Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski and President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova.
Siljanovska-Davkova thanked Croatia for its strong and concrete support, emphasising the importance of uniform standards and avoiding bilateralisation during the EU integration process of candidate countries, the Croatian Parliament said in a press release.
Jandroković recalled that among all EU member states, Croatia is the most present in North Macedonia, particularly with regard to twinning projects, with a total of 18 projects either successfully completed or ongoing.
Ongoing, excellent political dialogue
During both meetings, excellent bilateral relations and political dialogue were confirmed.
The continuous political dialogue between the two countries has been further strengthened after Prime Minister Mickoski’s official visit to Croatia in late August last year, during which a joint declaration on further strengthening bilateral relations in areas of mutual interest was signed, along with two agreements on sectoral cooperation.
A particularly important aspect of bilateral relations was highlighted - the true friendship between the people of Croatia and North Macedonia, based on mutual understanding and respect, shared history, and the strong engagement of members of the Croatian minority in North Macedonia and the North Macedonian minority in Croatia.
Jandroković also expressed hope that the Croatian minority would be included in North Macedonia's Constitution in the future, which he discussed with Croats living in the country on Wednesday.
Jandroković also discussed, first with Mickoski and later with Siljanovska-Davkova, geopolitical challenges, the situation in Southeast Europe, and efforts to achieve peace in Ukraine, emphasising that the peace must be "sustainable and just".
On the second day of his visit, Jandroković held a meeting with the North Macedonian parliamentary group for friendship with the Croatian parliament and members of the Croatian Business Club, representing Croatian companies operating in North Macedonia.