The enlargement of the European Union to include the Western Balkans is a way to strengthen stability across Europe, Slovak President Peter Pellegrini said during his official visit to the Republic of North Macedonia.
“You have really come a long way. I know how difficult it was to resolve the name issue. I will be honest – the EU is making a big mistake by constantly setting new conditions. Your country has been part of the accession negotiations for 20 years and has made many difficult decisions, and there is still no answer as to when it will become a full member,” Pellegrini said at a joint news conference with North Macedonia’s President, Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova. “The EU is taking a risk with this process. Slovakia stands firmly by your side and supports you in every possible way, because we believe the EU’s future lies in enlargement and this includes security, especially in this region,” he added.
Pellegrini noted that Slovakia is a strong supporter of North Macedonia’s integration into the EU. “The EU must not abuse your country’s accession process for its own internal issues,” he added. “That is a serious political mistake. Countries like yours have the capacity to implement reforms and progress chapter by chapter. The enlargement process must be based on technical readiness, not geopolitical calculations,” the Slovak President said. He said that he cannot accept double standards, and that is why he criticizes the EU.
Both Presidents agreed that EU enlargement must be grounded in the Copenhagen criteria and based on merit and results, not on additional and irrational political conditioning, Siljanovska-Davkova said.
She emphasized that North Macedonia’s foreign and security policy is fully aligned with that of the EU, and that the country actively contributes to collective and regional security. The President added that greater cooperation, mutual trust, and solidarity are needed not only within the EU and NATO but also in the broader context of the United Nations.
Asked about Slovakia’s stance on a proposal to end unanimous decision-making in the EU regarding candidate negotiations, Pellegrini said that Slovakia supports maintaining each Member State’s right to a veto.
Pellegrini was received in North Macedonia with the highest state and military honours. Following a tete-a-tete meeting between Pellegrini and Siljanovska-Davkova and talks between the two delegations, North Macedonia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Timcho Mucunski, and Slovakia’s State Secretary at the Ministry of Economy, Vladimir Simonak, signed a Memorandum of Cooperation in the field of economy, North Macedonia’s President’s Office said. EU Enlargement to Western Balkans Is Way to Strengthen European Stability, Slovak President Says in Skopje THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2025-10-14 17:00:30 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law
