Rejsinger-Mucunski meeting: Austria stands by RMV in the state of emergency and on the path to the EU

Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger today received her counterpart from North Macedonia, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Timco Mucunski, in Vienna, the Austrian Foreign Ministry announced.

The discussion, as they emphasized, focused on support after the catastrophic fire at the discotheque in Kocani, North Macedonia, as well as close bilateral relations and further steps in the EU enlargement process.

After the tragic fire in Kocani, it is emphasized, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mucunski, requested assistance from Austria in caring for the burn victims, where the Austrian federal government evacuated six seriously injured people to Vienna and Graz for intensive medical care.

"Austria's support for the countries and people of the Western Balkans is self-evident to me. This applies in particular, of course, to emergency medical assistance in such a tragic case as the fire in Kocani. We stand by you - in emergencies, as well as in the joint construction of a safe and sustainable European future," Foreign Minister Meinl-Reisinger said on Monday after the first evacuation flight.

Regarding the EU enlargement process, Foreign Minister Meinl-Reisinger reiterated Austria's strong support for the rapid integration of all Western Balkan countries into the EU. She welcomed the significant progress made by North Macedonia on its path towards EU membership, but stressed, she added, the importance of the swift implementation of the necessary constitutional changes.

Austria and North Macedonia are closely connected through cultural and economic relations. With over 50 companies, Austria is the largest foreign investor in North Macedonia. Furthermore, relations are strengthened by the well-integrated diaspora from North Macedonia. Both sides also emphasized the importance of migration and border protection as an important area of ​​cooperation, the Austrian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Macedonian Foreign Minister Timco Mucunski traveled to Vienna after his visit this morning to Zagreb, where five people were injured in the terrible fire in Kocani, in which 59 people lost their lives and 176 were injured. He thanked Croatia for accepting the five injured people for treatment, emphasizing that Skopje received among the first calls expressing solidarity and offering assistance from Zagreb.