Visit of the President of the Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia to the PABSEC International Secretariat, Istanbul, 23 June 2021

Mr. Talat Xhaferi, President of the Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia, visited the PABSEC International Secretariat in Istanbul on 23 June 2021. The President was accompanied by Members of Parliament Mr. Hysni Ismaili and Mr. Pavle Trojanov as part of the North Macedonian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the South-East European Cooperation Process in (PA SEECP), which is an observer in the PABSEC.

Mr. Asaf Hajiyev, PABSEC Secretary General, expressed his gratitude to the President for the visit and congratulated on the official decision of the Assembly concerning the full-fledged membership of the Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia in the PABSEC, approved at the 57th General Assembly on 22 June 2021. The guest was informed about the current work of the PABSEC and its committees, as well as the forthcoming activities of the Assembly and the plans to celebrate the 30th PABSEC Anniversary in 2023. The Secretary General noted the active participation of the PABSEC representatives in election observation missions in the BSEC Member States.

The President stressed the importance of parliamentary diplomacy and broadening multilateral parliamentary relations. He expressed the interest of the Parliament of the Republic of North Macedonia in strengthening the cooperation with the PABSEC. He also proposed to think about creating a platform of cooperation among various parliamentary structures where the PABSEC parliaments participate, and to create a mechanism for permanent cooperation between them. The President of the Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia invited the PABSEC to observe the local elections in the country in October 2021. The President expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome and expressed hope for effective cooperation in the future.

The meeting was also attended by Mr. Aktan Ago, Consul General of the Republic of North Macedonia in Istanbul.