President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Friday said that Türkiye and North Macedonia, as NATO allies, have built a rock solid relationship over the past 30 years, comparing it to the enduring strength of Skopje’s Stone Bridge.
"Today, we continue our efforts with the belief that the Balkans should be a region for cooperation and development, not competition," he said at a joint news conference with North Macedonian Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski in Istanbul.
The Stone Bridge across the Vardar River in Skopje was built by Ottoman Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror.
Erdoğan highlighted the importance of strengthening bilateral ties.
The two leaders also signed a joint political declaration establishing the High-Level Cooperation Council between their countries.
The president expressed his intention to visit Skopje for the first meeting of the newly established body.
Erdoğan said their discussions focused on deepening commercial and economic relations, adding that Turkish companies are successfully operating in sectors such as banking, healthcare, education, tourism, and renewable energy in North Macedonia, with investments nearing $2 billion.
The Turkish president also emphasized efforts to double trade volume, which reached nearly $1 billion last year, in the first phase.
He said that updating the free trade agreement would further support these goals.
The two leaders also discussed military relations and defense industry projects, with Erdoğan recalling that Türkiye was one of the first countries to recognize North Macedonia’s independence in 1991.
Erdoğan acknowledged the significant role of the Turkish community in North Macedonia in strengthening ties between the two countries.
He also reaffirmed Türkiye's commitment to fighting against the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ), which seeks to undermine the friendship between the nations.
The two leaders also touched on global and regional issues, including Ukraine and Gaza.
"We exchanged views on these issues and emphasized our support for the ongoing peace talks in Ukraine and reaffirmed our joint commitment to a two-state solution for the liberation of Palestine," he said.
