While being taught that rule of law and other principles are much valued in European circles, we have learned that the most important is the position of force that Macedonia has most strongly felt on its own skin, said Macedonian Foreign Minister Nikola Poposki in his address at the conference Balkan Revival: Kick-Starting Stalled Policies organized by the non-governmental organization Friends of Europe and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Brussels on Tuesday.
The discussion at Friends of Europe’s 12th annual Balkans Summit addressed how and to what degree the EU and Western Balkan countries need to remain focused on enlargement perspectives, particularly in light of new European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker’s recent statement that there will be no further EU enlargement over the next 5 years.
Minister Poposki took part in the second session titled "Economic Development: Is the Glass Now Half Full?" in the course of which he pointed out that in carrying out economic reforms Macedonia scored better results than most EU member states. He also stressed that Macedonia was happy that the economy was getting into the focus of the EU since Macedonia had much to boast in this respect.
"As far as the economy is concerned, GDP per capita in the Western Balkans is half the average GDP per capita in the EU member state and there is much to do in this regard. However, the situation is getting better in fighting unemployment. Also, Macedonia's economic growth is higher than the economic growth of some EU countries," Poposki said.
