News
12/13/2022 12:00
The Deputy Prime Minister in charge of European Affairs, Bojan Maricikj, at the panel discussion dedicated to the annual Report of the European Commission on the "Internal Market" and "Competitiveness and Inclusive Growth" clusters, said that the Government has a clearly set goal, a clear reform plan which it must continue to implement in the next period as well.
The Deputy Prime Minister indicated that the Annual Report of the European Commission for 2022, which arrived a few months after the start of the negotiations between North Macedonia and the European Union, will be the basis for comparison before and after the start of the negotiations.
- I believe that together we will improve the assessment of the next annual report of the EC, we will make sure steps on the European path and together we will achieve our strategic goal, said Maricikj in front of the audience, adding that negotiations with the EU are a state and team project that exceeds the mandate of one government and party interests.
For the main negotiator with the EU, all Clusters and chapters are important and have their own special weight, but the chapters from Clusters 2 and 3, "Internal Market" and "Competitiveness and Inclusive Growth", have a direct impact on the lives of citizens because they cover significant areas and for workers and employers, small and large enterprises, industry, economy, economic and monetary policy, taxation, social policy, but also science and research and education and culture.
- That is why we stand before the Report transparently, inclusively and responsibly for everything that is noted in it. Every remark and recommendation should be our direction for planning the next reform activity, if we want to succeed in this state project, which happens only once and for which we only have one chance, emphasized Maricikj.
The Deputy Prime Minister said that the Report shows stable continuity in the country's overall preparedness and sustainable reforms, and noted that now it is necessary to maintain continuity and give new dynamics to the reforms, because as Mariciкј says, the faster we correct the indications, the faster we will transform and we will prepare for membership in the Union.
- We have the capacity and political will to realize it. The government is committed to reforms, because our primary goal is not only EU membership, but transformation of the Macedonian society for the better and the benefits that the Union brings to citizens, said Maricikj.
He expressed confidence that these panel discussions dedicated to the Report will continue next year and that the MPs will be the next to debate the European future and the remarks that the European Commission sent to the Parliament.
The panel discussion on Clusters 2 and 3 "Internal Market" and "Competitiveness and Inclusive Growth" concluded the series of events under the slogan: “On the European path: New reforms, new opportunities", organized by the Secretariat for European Affairs, with the support of long-time friends and supporters of the EU accession process, the Kingdom of Sweden through the project "Nordic support for the progress of North Macedonia" implemented by the United Nations Office for Project Services- UNOPS.