<h6><strong>The Diplomat</strong></h6> <h4><strong>The ambassador of North Macedonia, Edmond Ademi, during the reception he hosted to commemorate the 33rd anniversary of the independence of this Balkan republic, stressed his desire to strengthen and develop bilateral relations with Spain, after recalling that 2024 marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.</strong></h4> After assuring that ‘the <strong>intensity and dynamics of bilateral relations and high-level ministerial visits have been very visible’</strong>, Ademi expressed his wish that ‘with the new Spanish ambassador, my colleague, Rafael Soriano Ortiz, who took office a month ago and is with us this afternoon, we will work together in this direction’. The ambassador identified ‘the <strong>economy, culture, agriculture, defence, home affairs, the fight against natural disasters and climate change’, among others, as areas where this cooperation could be developed</strong>. He added that the presence of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia, Timcho Mucunski, at the reception ‘reaffirms the friendship and close cooperation between our two countries’. The head of North Macedonian diplomacy said in his speech that ‘<strong>Spain is an important political and economic partner with which we have traditionally good and friendly relations with an active political dialogue</strong>’ over the last 30 years. However, he pointed out that ‘<strong>we are aware of the enormous potential that remains untapped to this day’</strong>, which is why he assured that both countries are working ‘closely on sectoral cooperation in many areas of shared interest’. After recalling ‘Spain's act of solidarity, when it approved our protocol of accession to NATO’, Mucunski stressed that ‘<strong>integration into the EU is one of our main foreign policy priorities’,</strong> and to this end ‘Spain's support - about which he said he had no doubts - is vital for achieving our objectives’. For her part, Ainhoa Fábrega, Director General for Western, Central and Southeast Europe, recalled that Pedro Sánchez, during his visit to Skopje in July 2022, declared that ‘<strong>the European Union is the place where North Macedonia should be</strong>’. And, after mentioning the memorandum signed in 2023 to strengthen collaboration in the process of European integration, he assured that the North Macedonian government ‘can count on Spain's support in these efforts’. Finally, Ambassador Edmond Ademi had <strong>words of praise for Dr. Svetlana Moise, winner of this year's Princess of Asturias Award for scientific and technical research, since ‘this is the first time that a North Macedonia's citizen has won this prestigious award’.</strong> At the same time, he took the opportunity to make special mention of the Macedonian community that lives and works in Spain ‘and which, although small in number, is well integrated into Spanish society, in sport, in culture, in medicine, in education’. [caption id="attachment_93583" align="alignnone" width="750"]<img class="wp-image-93583 size-full" src="https://thediplomatinspain.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Timcho-Mucunski-ministro-de-Asuntos-Exteriores-y-Comercio-Exterior-de-Macedonia-del-Norte-ok.jpg" alt="" width="750" height="429" /> Timcho Mucumski, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of North Macedonia.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_93587" align="alignnone" width="750"]<img class="wp-image-93587 size-full" src="https://thediplomatinspain.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Ainhoa-Fabrega-directora-general-de-europa-Occidental-Central-y-Sudeste-de-Europa-ok.jpg" alt="" width="750" height="422" /> Ainhoa Fábrega, Director-General for Western, Central and South-Eastern Europe, spoke on behalf of the Spanish government.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_93591" align="alignnone" width="750"]<img class="wp-image-93591 size-full" src="https://thediplomatinspain.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Azerbaiyan-Serbia-y-Turquia-ok.jpg" alt="" width="750" height="422" /> From left to right: the Azerbaijani ambassador and his wife, together with their counterparts from Serbia and Turkey.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_93594" align="alignnone" width="750"]<img class="wp-image-93594 size-full" src="https://thediplomatinspain.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Embajador-Suecia-y-esposa-ok.jpg" alt="" width="750" height="422" /> The Swedish ambassador, Per-Arne Huelmborn, and his wife.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_93596" align="alignnone" width="750"]<img class="wp-image-93596 size-full" src="https://thediplomatinspain.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Portugal-Luis-y-Simona-ok.jpg" alt="" width="750" height="422" /> From left. to right: Ambassador of Portugal, Joao Antonio da Costa Mira Gomes, together with the director of The Diplomat in Spain, Luis Ayllón, and Simona Gressia, from Quirón Salud.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_93599" align="alignnone" width="750"]<img class="wp-image-93599 size-full" src="https://thediplomatinspain.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Estonia-Noruega-y-Moldavia-ok.jpg" alt="" width="750" height="422" /> The ambassadors of Estonia (left), Norway (centre) and Moldova.[/caption]
