Prime Ministers Zaev and Mitsotakis in Thessaloniki: The economic relations between the countries mark upward trend; there is potential for greater cooperation

This evening the President of the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia, Zoran Zaev, met the Prime Minister of the Republic of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, on the margins on the Thessaloniki Summit.

Prime Ministers Zaev and Mitsotakis, together with the President of the Republic of Bulgaria, Boyko Borisov, were invited to the Summit as speakers on the panel “SEE: Improvement of the Regional Cooperation and Reforms”.

At the meeting with Mitsotakis which was in friendly and constructive atmosphere, the interlocutors discussed several issues among which the issue of Greece’s support in the forthcoming period to speed the process for the start of negotiations for our country with regards to EU membership.

Both Prime Minister expresses their agreement that the positive outcome of this issue that will confirm the European perspective of North Macedonia will further contribute to the safety and stability of the region and will be an additional motivation for the economic relations which are marking upward trend as of the signing of the Prespa Agreement.

During the talk the interlocutors underlined that this will be a new stimulus for the economic relations between the two countries. This is a result of the fact that Greece is the second biggest trading partner of our country and the value of the total investments in North Macedonia puts Greece on the third place.

Moreover, both Prime Minister reaffirmed the commitment of the two countries for smooth implementation of the obligations for both parties as agreed in the Prespa Agreement. Some of the more significant are the efforts for progress of the work on the border crossings which will bring benefits for both countries, for regional connectivity, as well as the opportunities that the new border crossings will open for deepening of the economic cooperation.

The Prime Ministers of North Macedonia and Greece underlined that conditions will be secured for more intensive work of the commissions of both countries which are to work on trademarks.

The President of the Government of the North Macedonia, Zaev, emphasized his expectation that Prime Minister Mitsotakis will pay a visit to our country in order to continue the regular meetings which encourage the relations between the two countries.