North Macedonia takes over EUSAIR presidency from Greece

According to a FENA correspondent, the handover ceremony was attended by high-ranking officials from EUSAIR member states, representatives of the European Commission, regional stakeholders, and civil society actors.

The transition symbolically concluded Greece’s one-year presidency, during which major strides were made in revising the Action Plan, integrating a social dimension into the strategy, and strengthening the role of youth in regional cooperation.

Greek representatives congratulated North Macedonia, expressing full support and confidence in the continuation of the initiatives started. On the other side, the incoming presidency emphasized its readiness to continue strengthening the EUSAIR strategy with a focus on inclusiveness, digital transformation, the green agenda, and advancing European integration, particularly for Western Balkan countries.

Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Tasos Chatzivasileiou stated at a press conference following the handover that Athens aimed to align EUSAIR’s strategic direction with broader EU goals, especially regarding the European future of the region’s countries.

''Prime Minister Mitsotakis and Foreign Minister Gerapetritis have consistently highlighted the importance of building bridges among regional states. We believe that all Western Balkan countries, including North Macedonia, historically, politically, and economically belong to the European family,'' said Chatzivasileiou, reaffirming Greece’s strong advocacy for their EU path.

He added that macro-regional cooperation is a powerful tool to jointly face challenges such as climate change, energy transition, migration, and social cohesion, and that strategies like EUSAIR must remain central to the EU’s long-term vision.

''To our dear colleagues from North Macedonia, we wish great success and offer our full support in taking on this important role. I believe their presidency will be inclusive, ambitious, and results-driven,'' Chatzivasileiou concluded.

North Macedonia’s Minister for European Affairs, Orhan Murtezani, stated that Skopje proudly assumes the leadership of a strategy and initiative that represents not just political formats, but genuine bridges of cooperation and European prospects for the region.

''For us, this is not merely a technical transition but a historic moment. Five years after joining the strategy and seven years after joining the initiative, we are taking on the presidency for the first time. This is a natural continuation of a journey shaped by partnership and resilience,'' Murtezani emphasized.

He extended special thanks to Greece for its support, highlighting the symbolic importance of the 2003 Thessaloniki Declaration as the starting point of the Western Balkans' EU perspective.

''Greece has been and remains a key advocate of the region’s European future. We thank our Greek colleagues for keeping the focus on enlargement, social cohesion, green transition, and innovation during their presidency,'' he said.

Murtezani announced that North Macedonia’s presidency will focus on "connecting the region" not only through physical infrastructure but also by ''building trust and closing the gap between ambition and capability''.

''For us, integration is not just a foreign policy issue—it is the story of our generation. EUSAIR is not a side strategy; it is a key platform for the region’s European transition,'' he concluded, calling on all partners to continue working together ''with trust, ambition, and unity''.

The handover followed the first working session of the Forum, which reviewed EUSAIR’s ten-year progress, presented the revised Action Plan’s new guidelines, and reaffirmed political support for further Western Balkan integration through macro-regional cooperation.

(FENA) A. B.

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