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| Stoltenberg |
Mr. Stoltenberg expressed gratitude for the reforms achieved while he said that should continue. He said the Prespa Accord should become a model for settling the disputes in the region.
Secretary Stoltenberg said that the benefits of the North Macedonia from the NATO approach are obvious because the investments in the country are growing and that this shows that the security provides the basis of well-being, according to him. He underlined the need to continue the reforms in the intelligence service in the field of security.
"Our visit sends a very clear message. We are ready to welcome you to the NATO family," said the Secretary Stoltenberg.
Meanwhile the Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, the achievements that his country has made towards NATO integration, are considered the merits of all politicians and citizens from the country's independence here:
"The result of the work of all institutions and professionals of all fields".
He stressed that NATO membership is a strategic decision of North Macedonia, as confirmed by the parliamentary resolution since 1993.
Prime Minister Zaev announced that since receiving an invitation to join the Alliance, the gross domestic income has increased by about 5.5 percent.
"It was minus 1.8 percent with deep political and economic recession," said Mr. Zaev, pointing out that the foreign investments have recorded a new record of 625 million Euros. That's three times higher than the average for the last eight years," he said.
The Government of North Macedonia is determined to increase the 0.2 percent defense budget and the military. In the future we will also work with neighboring countries as allies within NATO; we believe in NATO's open door policy," said the Macedonian prime minister.
Skopje hopes that at the NATO summit in December in London will become a full-member of the North Atlantic Alliance, but Mr. Zaev says that if it is not done in December, "then eventually at the beginning of next year" .
Zaev does not suspect that Turkey, considered as a friendly country will delay the ratification of the protocol of NATO membership in North Macedonia due to possible inconsistencies with some people whom Ankara qualifies as Gülenists or members of the Feto organization who live and work in Macedonia.