Murtazani: We remain firmly on our European path, which is often filled with challenges outside the Copenhagen criteria

Strasbourg – More than two decades ago in Thessaloniki, a promise was made that the future of the Western Balkans is in the European family, and that promise must continue to live not only through words but also through actions, said the Minister for European Affairs Orhan Murtezani in his address at the 24th meeting of the Joint Parliamentary Committee that started this afternoon at the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

– For North Macedonia, whose path has been long and often filled with challenges beyond the Copenhagen criteria, the European path and full membership remain a matter of firm conviction, not convenience. Every reform we implement strengthens our belief that Europe is strongest when it fulfills its promise and that the Union is complete when those who have waited the longest will finally be accepted as full members, emphasized Murtezani.

He stressed that for us, the European path has never been a distant aspiration, but has always represented a daily task and a disciplined effort dedicated to turning commitment into results.

According to him, the EU Growth Plan for the Western Balkans has given a new dimension to our European path, as it represents recognition of what has been achieved and an invitation for further deepening of progress.

– Through this Plan, the European Union has shown that integration is not a process that is postponed for some future moment. It begins with the transformation of systems, economies, and societies even today and can bring tangible benefits even before formal membership, said Murtezani. (November 26, 2025)