Zvizdić-Zaev: To Strengthen Our Cooperation for Citizens Well-Being

Chairman of the Council of Ministers of BIH Dr Denis Zvizdić, who leads a Delegation of the Council of Ministers of BIH in an official visit to the Republic of Macedonia, was welcomed in Skopje, with military honours, by Prime Minister of the Republic of Macedonia Zoran Zaev. Chairman Zvizdić and Prime Minister Zaev talked on the promotion of bilateral relations of the two countries. 

The improvement of political relations and cooperation in the European integrations process was discussed, in addition to economic relations, strengthening of trade exchange, and the topical regional issues and processes.

Institutional cooperation of BIH and Macedonia was concluded to be  at a high level, since over 50 bilateral and 10 multilateral treaties were concluded, which, however, were not followed by corresponding economic cooperation, so the focus should be placed to stronger connecting of business communities in future..

Chairman Zvizidć spoke of an interest on the BIH side for cooperation in the areas of metal industry, wood processing and food processing and textile industry. He welcomed an idea on setting-up a Bosnia and Herzegovina – Macedonia business club, and pledged a full support of the Council of Ministers of BIH to holding business fora and meetings of BIH and Macedonian entrepreneurs, as it is of mutual interest. He added that BIH and Macedonia have shared aims, namely EU and NATO membership aspirations and that both countries work diligently on reforms in order to step-up their economic development and improve living standard of their citizens.

Chairman Zvizdić welcomed a notion by Prime Minister Zaev to introduce Bosnian language into regular school curriculum in Macedonia for children from the Bosnian community.

They discussed also modalities of establishing a direct air line between Skopje and Sarajevo to facilitate communication and make flow of people and goods faster. A special focus was placed on cooperation of line Ministries in the EU integrations and EU funds accession processes.

It was emphasised that the two countries are active participants in regional initiatives and holders of positive processes in the region, sharing their interest for better infrastructure connection of the region and stepping-up European integrations, so as to create stable environment and accelerate economic development and prosperity of the region.

Following the Prime Ministers’ meeting, delegations of the Council of Ministers of BIH and Government of the Republic of Macedonia held a plenary session. The plenary was attended, from the BIH side, by Minister of Foreign Affairs Igor Crnadak, Minister of Justice of BIH Josip Grubeša, Minister of Civil Affairs, Adil Osmanović, Minister of Communications and Transport Ismir Jusko, and BIH Ambassador in the Republic of Macedonia Lepa Babić. On the Macedonian side, the meeting was attended by Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikola Dimitrov, Minister of Justice Bilen Saliji, Minister of Transport and Communications Goran Sugareski, Minister of Economy Kreshnik Bakteshi, and Minister of Education Renata Deskoska.

On that occasion, an Agreement on travel conditions for citizens of the two states was signed, according to which citizens of BIH will enter Macedonia with personal ID card only. The Agreement was signed by BIH Minister of Foreign Affairs Igor Crnadak and Macedonian Minister of Interior Nikola Dimitrov.

Minister of Civil Affairs of BIH Adil Osmanović and Minister of Education and Science of the Republic of Macedonia Renata Deskoska signed a protocol on cooperation in education between the Ministry of Civil Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Ministry of Education of the Republic of Macedonia, aimed at development and promotion of cooperation in education between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Macedonia.

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