Mrs. Eli Bojadjieska Ristovski:

I am sorry to repeat myself. We have just started the screening process with the EU, which will take 13 months. The EU experts will analyse the laws and preparedness of the country for starting accession negotiations. We have struggled and had a difficult dialogue with Bulgaria to come to a solution which we think leaves both countries equally satisfied and is, most importantly, within both our national interest and theirs. This has allowed us to open the road to work on lessening the tensions in the population, create friendship, deepen the friendship and create new co-operation at every level and in every area. I think the government's commitment to accomplish what has been agreed with Bulgaria is strong, and it will probably spare no effort in communicating the benefits of this approach to the public. As I said to Senator Keogan, it will be a battle of hearts and minds. It would be the best counterattack against all the malign foreign propaganda that, even though North Macedonia delivered, it is still not getting anywhere. We are getting somewhere. We have opened negotiations and started the screening process. There is a long way to go but we are committed to that. If we are not convinced of that, then nobody else will convince us. I think we are on a good path.