Kyuchyuk after meeting President Pendarovski: EU membership must be a national cause

“The Jean Monnet Dialogue sessions are important because they emphasize precisely on the matter that joining the EU is a national cause that requires the parties to be prepared to put aside their differences.” This was stated by Ilhan Kyuchyuk, MEP from the MRF/Renew Europe and Standing rapporteur of the European Parliament for North Macedonia.   Throughout the course of 2 days he was co-chairing the 3-rd “Jean Monnet” Dialogue for Peace and Democracy in Skopje, with the participation of representatives of the European Parliament, European Commission and the Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia. The Dialogue’s other co-chairs included the Chair and Vice-chair of the   Delegation to the EU-North Macedonia Joint Parliamentary Committee – MEPs Andreas Schieder and Marion Walsmann.  

The President of the Assembly of North Macedonia, Talat Xhaferi, Secretary-general of the institution – Cvetanka Ivanova and leaders of parties presented in the parliament took part in the various panels of the debate.  

The “Jean Monnet” Dialogue is an instrument of the European Parliament, inspired by the working method of  European diplomat of the same name, which aims at establishing mediation and a process of cross-partisan dialogue, and consists of a cycle of preparatory consultations with participation of the leaders of parties represented in the country’s Parliament. The aim of the “Jean Monnet” meetings between the EP and the National Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia is to make specific commitments and follow-up on their implementation, in order to enhance the cross-party dialogue and parliamentary culture of compromise, communication and trust between political parties in the country in the name of achieving the goal EU membership.  

At the opening of the conference, Ilhan Kyuchyuk noted the achievements  done under the Dialogue on Peace and Democracy, recalling the firm support of both the European Parliament and the Commission and the EC’s statement that it will be a “geo-political Commission”, further pointing out: “We had to overcome the great disappointment from the decision of the Council not to open the negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania in October – but I believe that this was only a temporary obstacle and that the reservations with regards to enlargement will be overcome by the Zagreb Summit. I firmly insist, on behalf of European Parliament, that this was a mistake on the part of the Council, as  the Macedonian government, Parliament and people have done everything they can to deserve starting the negotiation process.”  

During the visit, in addition to attending the sessions at the Assembly, the representatives of European Parliament also met with the President of North Macedonia – Stevo Pendarovski, the Mission of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, European diplomats in the country, and the Ambassador of Switzerland. “The Jean Monnet Dialogue sessions are important because they emphasize precisely on the matter that joining the EU is a national cause that requires the parties to be prepared to put aside their differences. They are important as well, because they provide for an increased presence of the European institutions in the country. The EU cannot afford to be passive towards the region, relying only on encouraging messages. We can neither afford to continue the tendency for the accession process to be seen as something imposed. The Western Balkan countries need to be heard – and to be included in the debate on the future of Europe, because it is a debate about our common future”, commented Kyuchyuk.