The Minister of Internal Affairs, Panche Toskoski, and the State Secretary in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Sasho Petrushevski, participated today (September 23, 2026) in the 75th dialog session on the topic "The Contribution of Structured Dialog to the Euro-Integrative Process: From 'Foundations' and Beyond," held in Skopje, organized by the National Convention for the European Union in the Republic of North Macedonia (NCEU-MK).
The National Convention serves as a platform for open and structured dialog among institutions, the civil sector, the academic and expert community, and other relevant stakeholders on issues related to the accession process to the European Union.
During the event, Minister Toskoski and the President of the European Movement in the Republic of North Macedonia and National Coordinator of NCEU-MK, Prof. Dr. Mileva Djurovska, signed a Memorandum of Cooperation between the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the European Movement in the Republic of North Macedonia (EMMK), as the bearer of the National Convention.
The Memorandum establishes a framework for further cooperation in areas related to the European integration process, with a particular focus on Chapter 24 – Justice, Freedom, and Security. It includes the participation of representatives from the Ministry in the activities of Working Group 4, plenary conferences, and thematic debates of NCEU-MK, the exchange of experiences and expert opinions, as well as the consideration of recommendations and conclusions arising from the structured dialog.
"European integration in the areas overseen by the Ministry of Internal Affairs entails much more than mere alignment of regulations. Institutions capable of applying European standards in everyday operations are essential. This is precisely why structured dialog is important – to bring together institutions, the expert and academic community, and the civil sector at the same table, to listen to various arguments and experiences, and to derive solutions that can make a tangible contribution to the reform processes. With today’s Memorandum, we are establishing our cooperation with the National Council for European Integration of North Macedonia within a clear framework, especially in the areas of Chapter 24 – Justice, Freedom, and Security," emphasized Minister Toškovski.
In the second panel, dedicated to "Justice, Freedom, and Security – Chapter 24," State Secretary Sašo Petruševski participated, who is also the co-chair of the working group. He reflected on the institutional and staffing readiness of the Ministry for the obligations arising from the negotiation process, highlighting the importance of the knowledge and experience of employees in applying European standards.
"It is not enough just to adopt and align legislation with European standards. It is crucial to have the institutional and staffing capacity to fully and effectively implement that legislation in practice. In this process, our greatest driving force is the employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, who have accumulated knowledge and experience in implementing European standards," Petruševski emphasized.
Petruševski also pointed out that structured dialog should be a two-way process, in which institutions will be open to reasoned criticism and proposals, while the expert community and civil organizations will have the opportunity to understand the challenges faced by institutions in implementing reforms.
The memorandum also anticipates the exchange and review of recommendations and conclusions arising from the work of the National Council for European Integration of North Macedonia, with the aim of ensuring continuity in the structured dialog and supporting the reform processes in areas of mutual interest. The National Council for European Integration of North Macedonia has been implementing this dialog model since 2017, including through a special working group for Chapter 24 – Justice, Freedom, and Security.
