PRAGUE, Aug 29 Prague is interested in atmosphere peace and stability in the Balkans and supports Skopje's aspirations to join the European Union, Czech President Petr Pavel said on Tuesday after talks with North Macedonian President Stevo Pendarovski, who is on an official visit to the Czech capital, Czech TV reported.
«Because I have some experience with the security situation in the Balkans, I know how important it is for us to have peace in this region. The Balkans is historically an ethnically complex region and … is a crossroads of various influences» , — the channel quotes the words of Pavel.
In the 1990s, Pavel, as a young officer, served in the UNPROFOR mission in the territory of the former Yugoslavia.
According to the President of the Czech Republic, the situation in the Balkans is complicated by the fact that the interests of Russia, China, Arab countries and Turkey intersect in the region. According to Pavel, the Czech Republic is interested in an atmosphere of stability reigning there, which helps to strengthen peace and trust in Europe as a whole. The invitation of the President of North Macedonia to Prague should once again underscore Skopje's support for its path to EU membership, the Czech president said.
North Macedonia, as Pavel noted, plays an important role in solving the migration problem in Europe. «It is no coincidence that more than 1,800 Czech police officers have been serving on its territory in recent years, helping local colleagues protect the borders from illegal migrants,» Pavel said.
For his part, Pendarovski praised Prague's support for his country's efforts to integrate into European structures, including during the recent Czech presidency of the EU. The head of North Macedonia also stressed the fact that the Czech Republic was the first country to come to the aid of Skopje in solving the problems of migration and the coronavirus pandemic.
According to Pendarovski, both presidents highly appreciated the level of economic cooperation between the two countries.
The topic of trade and economic cooperation between the Czech Republic and North Macedonia was discussed in more detail during Pendarovsi's meeting with Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala. Also on Tuesday, the President of North Macedonia met with the heads of both chambers of the Czech Parliament.
Pendarovski's flight home is scheduled for Wednesday.