Zoran Zaev, former Prime Minister of the Republic of North Macedonia (RNM), extended special thanks to the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) for its firm support for the European Union integration of his country. Zaev posted on Facebook a congratulatory address and a thank you note to the MRF, the party leader Mustafa Karadayi, and the co-chairman of the European Liberals, Ilhan Kyuchuk, an MEP from MRF/"Renew Europe" and the European Parliament's permanent rapporteur for North Macedonia.
After 17 years, we have finally made a big step - we are starting negotiations with the EU, Zaev wrote. He expresses thanks to Macedonian people, Macedonian politicians and Bulgarian political parties that landed support to his country’s efforts.
I would like to thank Mustafa Karadayi, chairman of the liberal party MRF, from which Ilhan Kyuchuk comes, who saw this opportunity for a joint step, Zaev pointed out.
On July 16, the Assembly (Sobranie) of the Republic of North Macedonia approved draft decisions giving a mandate to the government of Dimitar Kovacevski to negotiate the EU integration of the state within the so-called "French proposal". Today in Sofia, the foreign ministers of Bulgaria and North Macedonia - Teodora Genchovska and Bujar Osmani - signed the second bilateral protocol of the Good-neighbourliness and Friendship Agreement. It will include new commitments related to resolving the historical disputes between the two countries, as well as deadlines within which to implement them, including measures to reform the schoolbooks in North Macedonia, combat hate speech, and boost cultural ties.
