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Filko: Now is the time for the EU to show leadership and political will for the integration of the Western Balkans

by AI | 10.Mar 2025 | Europe in brief AI

According to Filkov, there should be readiness to remove bilateral disputes between EU membership candidates and member countries in the name of regional stability and European integration.

The Minister of Justice of North Macedonia, Igor Filkov at the conference "Towards the EU: Strengthening the Integrity and Independence of Criminal Justice in the Western Balkans" in Ljubljana. Photo: Ministry of Justice of North Macedonia

Skopje – We have an important period ahead of us where we must show political will, leadership, and commitment to implementing reforms, and the European Union and its institutions need to continue supporting this ambition, demonstrating leadership in resolving bilateral and regional issues and continuing their support for the Western Balkans’ integration path, emphasized the Minister of Justice Igor Filkov at the international conference “Towards the EU: Strengthening the Integrity and Independence of Criminal Justice in the Western Balkans” held in Ljubljana.

He pointed out that he comes from a country and a nation that has been persistently fighting for nearly two decades to earn its place in the European Union.

– On the path to this ultimate goal, we face many challenges and conditions that we must meet. However, as we all know, bilateral misunderstandings and disputes with our neighbor have become the biggest obstacle to our European prospects. And you will all agree that these practices are against the values of the European Union, values which are the foundation of integration, cooperation, and respect for the rule of law, Filkov emphasized.

This is why, as he stressed, now is the time for the European Union to show true leadership and political will and to make it clear that there is readiness to remove bilateral disputes between EU membership candidates and member states in the name of regional stability and European integration.

According to him, now is the right time to focus on the global picture and the new political reality contemporary society faces.

– The European Union must show that it is ready for new challenges and has the capacity to persist as a strong, united, and globally competitive union. This moment should not be missed. We need to move forward together. It is becoming increasingly clear that there will be no second chances to return to the same path. We have no more time to lose! Europe is not waiting!,” said the Macedonian Minister of Justice in his address. (March 10)