North Macedonian Minister for European Affairs Murtezani to visit Helsinki

North Macedonian Minister for European Affairs Murtezani to visit Helsinki

Minister for European Affairs of North Macedonia Orhan Murtezani will visit Helsinki on Friday 22 November. During his visit, he will meet with Minister for European Affairs and Ownership Steering Joakim Strand and Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen. The purpose of the visit is to discuss North Macedonia's EU accession process and the related reforms.

"Finland strongly supports North Macedonia on its merit-based path to EU membership and encourages the country to carry out the necessary reforms. It is my firm belief that we will also work together in the future as EU Member States to build a stable, prosperous and democratic Europe," said Minister Strand.

Along with the EU accession negotiations, the meeting with Foreign Minister Valtonen will focus on bilateral relations between Finland and North Macedonia and cooperation within NATO and the OSCE.

"This meeting with Minister Murtezani is a continuation of our deepening cooperation with the Western Balkan countries. In addition to supporting North Macedonia on its path to EU membership, our countries work together as NATO Allies and in connection with the OSCE Chairmanship. North Macedonia has maintained its full alignment with the EU's common foreign and security policy, which is especially important given the current security situation in Europe," Minister Valtonen said.

Negotiations on North Macedonia's accession to the EU began in summer 2022, but certain reforms are needed before the first negotiating chapters can be opened with the country.

Inquiries: Alexander Lång, Special Adviser, tel. +358 295 160 866 and Heli Siivola, Senior Specialist for EU Affairs, tel. +358 50 576 7745, Prime Minister's Office; Johanna Lukkarila, Diplomatic Adviser to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, tel. +358 295 350 834 and Miia Lahti, Director, Unit for South-Eastern Europe and EU Enlargement, tel. +358 295 350 543, Ministry for Foreign Affairs