The Message from ERC North Macedonia on the Balkans Memorandum.
Distinguished colleagues and dear representatives of the Regulatory Bodies present at today’s event,
Allow me, as President of the Energy and water services Regulatory Commission of the Republic of North Macedonia, and as a signatory to today’s Memorandum of Cooperation, to express my satisfaction that we have finally reached the crowning moment of our commitment to further develop the exchange of experiences and information in the field of regulation of water services, and thus the development of our cooperation.
The moment is of particular importance in the process of developing our cooperation, which started on its own initiative from the first days after we receive the legal competencies in the field of regulation of water services, and it is strengthened after February 2018 when the ERC has been admitted as a full member of the Association of European Water Regulators (WAREG).
This event represents good basis for continuing joint efforts in this area. The necessary need for exchange of experiences and information, especially after the recent sudden changes and conditions in the region, has become more prominent and more necessary.
The specific problems and challenges facing the water sector are a major impetus for building a solid and long-term framework for cooperation between regulatory bodies in our region. Our membership activities in the frame of WAREG are a good ground for building this framework through which successful and key progress can be made. As the representative of a signatory to today’s Memorandum, I can say with complete confidence that this opportunity to build collaborative bridges is more than important to us and thus represents an indispensable opportunity for further institutional set-up.
Today’s event should be a solid step towards future joint efforts and activities within the envisaged mutual or bilateral cooperation programs within WAREG or special activities in which the system of cooperation will be developed, and our institutional capacities will be strengthened.
Our organizations are largely like each other, especially in terms of internal organizations and systematization and in terms of harmonization of the national legal framework with the directives of the European Union.
The main objective of today’s event is that through communication and coordination between us, we harmonize diversity within national regulatory frameworks and identify the need for joint efforts to address common challenges. This phase of the water sector reform process in our countries is felt as inevitable and high importance need to further build bridges of cooperation, exchange of information and knowledge, professional development and building of human resources.
Marko Bislimoski, President of ERC (North Macedonia), Tirana 18th May 2022
By continuing the future events in which we will strengthen our cooperation, we strive to strengthen the system of regulation in the region and thus achieve the desired results through which we will all be proud of building a reliable, sustainable, and economically affordable system of regulation of water services.
I am convinced that today’s event is an important starting point from which good bridges of cooperation will be built, opportunities for better representation of regional initiatives on a larger scale will be strengthened and the way will be opened for building a path to a regulatory system in accordance with all European standards and frameworks.
Let me once again greet you all and congratulate you on today’s event and at the same time wish you good health, progress and success in the next activities and good moments in the future.
Thank you,
Have a look at the official press release on the signing of the Western Balkans Memorandum of Cooperation
On May 18th the following Regulators: the Regulator of Albania (WRA), the Regulator of Montenegro (REGAGEN), the Regulator of Kosovo (ARRU) and The Regulator of North Macedonia (ERC) signed a Memorandum of Cooperation to further develop their cooperation and regulatory activities.