The President of the Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, received today the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia, Dr. Miro Cerar.

At the meeting, the two interlocutors discussed the promotion of bilateral relations between the Republic of Macedonia and the Republic of Slovenia, which are characterized by trust, friendship and solid partnership, as well as the current developments and challenges in the region.

The Macedonian President stressed that the continued visits at the political level additionally confirm the excellent relations between the two countries and thanked for the excellent cooperation between the two countries during the migrant crisis in 2015 and the presence of Slovenian police on our border. President Ivanov added that in the coming period, the efforts should focus on intensification and increase of the economic cooperation and trade through encouragement of joint investments.

Regarding the Macedonian Euro-Atlantic integrations, President Ivanov expressed hope that the long-standing open and unreserved support from the Republic of Slovenia will continue in the future in terms of opening the accession negotiations with the EU and membership of the Republic of Macedonia in NATO.

Regarding the political developments in our country, the Macedonian President stressed that although the people expressed their sovereign will in the referendum and unambiguously rejected the Prespa Agreement, the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia does not take this into consideration, with the majority of MPs acting contrary to the will of the people.

The interlocutors also exchanged views on the challenges of illegal migration, noting the need for the successful cooperation to continue in the future in order to achieve greater regional stability and security.