Vice President of the European Parliament meets FYROM’s Parliamentary Speaker

The Vice President of the European Parliament, and Syriza politician Dimitris Papadimoulis met with the Speaker of the House of FYROM ahead of the referendum in the neighbouring country.

“The completion of the Prespes Agreement opens up new possibilities for political and economic cooperation, both at bilateral and regional level, and gives a positive signal across Europe,” Dimitris Papadimoulis said at the meeting with Talat Xhaferi, in Skopje a few days before the crucial referendum.

According to an announcement by SYRIZA, the Vice-President of the European Parliament and head of the Eurogroup of SYRIZA “underlined the support of the large majority of the European Parliament in the Prespes Agreement, as well as general support in promoting the necessary reforms, which will speed up the European course of the country.” It also “stressed the long-standing positive role of Greece in the integration of the countries of Southeastern Europe into the EU, a policy that will be stepped up after the conclusion of the Prespes Agreement and opens up new possibilities for political and economic cooperation, both in bilateral and regional level, and gives a positive signal across Europe.”

For his part, Talat Xhaferi “stressed the importance of cooperation between the European Parliament and the ‘Macedonian’ Parliament and welcomed the Prespes Agreement, giving new prospects both to the European course of the country and to its relations with Greece, including and those between the two parliaments.” Also, as noted, he was particularly “optimistic about the outcome of the referendum and the approval of the agreement by the country’s parliament, which will strengthen stability in the region.”

Papadimoulis is participating in a delegation of the European Parliament in Skopje from 19-20 September 2018, representing the Eurogroup of the Left, in the framework of the Joint EU-FYROM Inter-Parliamentary Committee. In addition to the work of the committee, participating MEPs are scheduled to meet representatives of the government and the opposition, as well as the EU Ambassador to FYROM, representatives of civil society and youth.