site.btaPresident Radev Еxpresses Hope that North Macedonia Will Soon Show Political Will to Implement 2022 European Consensus

President Rumen Radev expressed hope Wednesday that in the near future the state leadership of the Republic of North Macedonia will show political will to implement the 2022 European Consensus, thus opening the way for the country to negotiate full EU membership. Radev spoke by phone with EU Special Representative for the Belgrade-Pristina and Western Balkans Dialogue Miroslav Lajcak.

Radev and Lajcak discussed aspects of the European integration process of the countries in the region. They noted the priority importance the European Commission attaches to the issue of EU enlargement, which enables the Western Balkans to make progress in fulfilling the membership criteria. The Bulgarian President expressed his appreciation for the efforts made by Miroslav Lajcak for the European integration of the Western Balkans and underlined his objective assessment of the various problems in the region and constructive approach to their resolution.

The Republic of North Macedonia applied for membership in the European Union on March 22, 2004 and was formally granted candidate status on December 17, 2005.