Video clips from the meetings: https://we.tl/t-WQD09rpj6L
Video from the press conference:
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1ARhfjNJNa/
The Minister for European Affairs of the Republic of North Macedonia, Orhan Murtezani, today hosted his Hungarian counterpart, the Minister for EU Affairs of Hungary, János Boka, who is on a working visit to the country.
Within the framework of the visit, the Ministers held a tete-a-tete meeting, followed by a plenary session of the delegations, at which they discussed key issues related to the European integration of North Macedonia and the intensification of bilateral cooperation in the context of the EU.
The ministers reaffirmed their shared commitment to deepening relations between the two countries, especially in the area of support for the accession process to the European Union. Hungary, as a proven supporter of North Macedonia’s European aspirations, once again confirmed its readiness to share its experience and expertise in the European integration process.
Murtezani and Boka signed a Memorandum of Cooperation between the Ministries of European Affairs of North Macedonia and Hungary, which lays the foundation for long-term institutional cooperation, exchange of experiences, administrative support and coordination towards harmonization with the European legislation and effective use of European funds.
At the joint press conference, Minister Murtezani emphasized: "This return visit is not just another event in the dynamic calendar of our bilateral relations, it carries a strong message. A message that partnerships are built through consistency, trust and a shared vision. North Macedonia and Hungary are connected by deep friendly ties, and bilateral cooperation is gaining even stronger momentum. Hungary has long been grateful for our vocal support for our European integration path.
In the context of the Memorandum of Cooperation, Murtezani emphasized: "We are giving our already close cooperation an institutional dimension and a stable framework. This document is not just a formalized administrative tool, but is an expression of our mutual commitment to deepening the partnership through the exchange of knowledge, experiences and joint efforts towards meeting European standards."
The following is the integral speech of MEP Murtezani from today's press conference:
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Dear media representatives, dear Minister Boka, dear friends,
It is with particular pleasure that I host my colleague, the Minister for EU Affairs of Hungary, János Boka, following our constructive meeting in Budapest last September. This return visit is not just another event in the dynamic calendar of our bilateral relations, it carries a strong message. A message that partnerships are built through consistency, trust and a shared vision.
North Macedonia and Hungary are connected by deep friendly ties, and bilateral cooperation is gaining even greater momentum. Hungary has long been grateful for its vocal support for our European integration path. We particularly appreciate its role as President of the Council of the European Union, considering that precisely during the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the EU last year, the issue of the enlargement of the Union and the integration of the Western Balkans was placed high on the priorities of the Presidency, and thus on the European agenda.
Minister Boka, dear János,
Your constant, loud and principled support for the integration of North Macedonia and the Western Balkans into the Union as soon as possible is a true example of friendship in practice. Hungary proves that when an EU Member State believes in the enlargement policy, it not only talks, but also acts. Today we are witnesses of that commitment. The crowning achievement of today's talks is the signing of the Memorandum of Cooperation, which sets a solid framework for a long-term and structured partnership in the field of European integration.
By signing this Memorandum between our Ministries for European Affairs, we are giving our already close cooperation an institutional dimension and a stable framework. This document is not only a formalized administrative tool, but also an expression of our mutual commitment to deepening the partnership through the exchange of knowledge, experiences and joint efforts towards meeting European standards. It is a concrete confirmation that we are ready to learn from each other, but also that we will jointly deal with the complexity of the accession process: from the technical challenges of harmonization with European Union law, to the strategies for the effective use of European funds, which are essential for economic and institutional development.
With our signatures today, we have expressed Hungary’s readiness to share its valuable experience from the period of its accession negotiations. This includes insight into administrative models, legal harmonization, coordination mechanisms between institutions, as well as effective examples of integrated European policy in practice. For our part, as a Government that has already established structures for coordination with that process and is working dedicatedly to opening the clusters and chapters of the negotiation process, we will use this partnership as an additional incentive to accelerate the pace of our integration.
This is not just technical cooperation, this is actually an investment in the European future of our citizens. With this step, North Macedonia and Hungary once again show that Europe is not just geography or bureaucracy, but a common goal, common values and a common conviction that the enlargement policy is one of the most important strategic goals of the European Union, which draws its appeal and transformative power precisely from unification - as a core European concept of solidarity, mutual support and a vision for a continent that is not built on divisions, but on connections, values and a common future.
Minister Boka, I thank you on my behalf and on behalf of the Government for being with us this time too; not only physically here in Skopje, but also in the process, in the vision and in the support of our efforts to accelerate the path towards the EU and to make this process more efficient, more concrete and with visible results, for our citizens, who undoubtedly belong to the European family.
