north macedonia
Preserving and advancing friendly relations It is a great honour to serve as Ambassador of North Macedonia to the Netherlands. But it also brings heavy responsibility, not because this is my first time being appointed as an Ambassador, but because my ambition is to preserve and further advance the friendly relations and cooperation that exist between our two countries.
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BY H. E. MRS. BETI JACHEVA, AMBASSADOR OF NORTH MACEDONIA
Since the establishment of the bilateral relations between North Macedonia and the Netherlands 28 years ago, the Netherlands has been also actively supporting our efforts to establish the country as a true European democracy. This was, and still is of crucial importance for fulfilling our strategic goals of becoming a NATO and EU member state. Last year, we joined NATO as its 30th member state, and we are ready to start accession negotiations with the EU. In the accession process, we know that in the Netherlands we have a credible, strict, but fair partner, from whom we can learn a lot, and have it as a role model in our reform efforts regarding the rule of law, but also regarding other important areas of society, such as education, social care, environment, using the renewable sources of energy and many more. Regarding economic cooperation, the primary objective is to promote the development of economic cooperation and connections. This relates especially to the promotion of the investment possibilities of North Macedonia and to attracting investors, but also helping Macedonian companies that would like to export to the Netherlands or to expand their 46 DIPLOMAT AFFAIRS
I HAD THE PLEASURE RECENTLY TO ATTEND AN ART EXHIBITION BY MACEDONIAN ARTISTS LIVING IN THE NETHERLANDS, WHICH WAS REALLY A MOMENT TO BE PROUD OF OUR COUNTRY AND ITS PEOPLE. business here. My country’s legislation in the economic area is well aligned with the EU acquits, and the Stabilization and Association Agreement with the EU is enabling free trade between our two countries.
An important bridge that connects even closer our two countries is the Macedonian Diaspora in the Netherlands. I have reached out to meet them, and I am very glad to have met so many well-established Macedonians living here. For example, I had the pleasure recently to attend an art exhibition by Macedonian artists living in the Netherlands, which was really a moment to be proud of our country and its people. For most of the Dutch people, North Macedonia might still be an undiscovered destination, but there is a decade’s long tradition for Dutch tourists to visit Ohrid and the pearly Ohrid Lake. Some say that this tradition started after a well-known Dutch author Den A. Doolard visited Ohrid in the thirties, where he got an inspiration to write his book De bruiloft der zeven zigeuners in 1939. The memory of him is still present in Ohrid. I would wholeheartedly recommend North Macedonia as next tourist destination for Dutch tourists. Our country can accommodate many tastes and interests, whether it is hiking on high mountains, swimming in lakes, visiting archaeological sites, or just enjoying great tasty food and magnificent vines.
