The Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) between the European Committee of the Regions and North Macedonia will hold its twentieth meeting on 24 November 2022 in Skopje. This jubilar meeting is the first fully in person in this EU candidate country after the break caused by COVID-19 pandemic. It is also the first JCC meeting after the opening of the EU accession negotiations with North Macedonia. In addition to the discussion of the country's EU accession process, the meeting will discuss the ongoing energy crisis, caused by the Russian aggression on Ukraine, that is hitting Macedonian municipalities hard.
The two Co-Chairs will chair the meeting in parts: the first part will be chaired by Ms Danela ARSOVSKA, Mayor of Skopje and the President of ZELS, Union of the Units of Local Self-Government of the Republic of North Macedonia, and the second by Ms Jasna GABRIČ (SI/RenewE), Mayor of Trbovlje.
The agenda features two high level speakers: Mr Risto PENOV, Minister for Local Self-Government of the Republic of North Macedonia, and Amb. David GEER, Head of EU Delegation to North Macedonia. A prominent Brussels-based policy analyst Marta MUCZNIK from the European Policy Centre (EPC) is also among the speakers, as well as Mr Visar GANIU, Mayor of Chair (a Skopje city municipality).
Two energy experts will serve as speakers on the thematic debate devoted to the energy crisis: a Vienna-based Dr Davor BAJS from the Energy Community, and Mr Goran NEDELKOV from the Municipality of Bitola, North Macedonia.