Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs Bojan Mariciк addressed the important global environmental meeting, "Stockholm + 50", which marks the 50th anniversary of the United Nations Conference on the Environment, sending a message that sustainable environmental development is a global goal and that the battle with environmental challenges must not be lost.

- The future of a healthy planet is our common responsibility. "Half a century has passed since the first UN Conference on the Environment in Stockholm in 1972, and we are still talking about global environmental challenges," Maricik said.

The Deputy Prime Minister pointed out that North Macedonia, together with the global community, supports the common vision for a "Healthy Planet for the Prosperity of All".

- We have a long-term vision: North Macedonia by 2050 to be a prosperous economy with low carbon emissions, which follows sustainable and climate-resistant development paths, and which improves competitiveness and promotes social cohesion through action to combat climate change and its impacts, said Maricik, adding that combating today's challenges, regional co - operation plays an important role, especially in meeting the goals of the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans.

According to him, "Stockholm + 50" is a great opportunity to achieve a prosperous, inclusive, and healthy planet, but it requires multilateralism in dealing with the triple planetary crisis on Earth - climate, nature, and pollution and coordinated action by various actors and individuals, as well as partnerships between science, business, policy-makers, and the civil society sector.

- This is a guaranteed way to reach appropriate solutions that are important for the sustainable development and protection of the planet and everything that lives and breathes on it. "Today, our responsibility and opportunity are to fulfil what was set as a goal 50 years ago at the Environment Conference, which can be fully realized by building a healthy future for all of us and for future generations," said Maricik.

Besides Maricik, the Minister of Environment and Physical Planning, Naser Nuredini, also participated in the global event, who will address the third leadership dialogue entitled: "Accelerating the implementation of the ecological dimension of sustainable development."

During his visit to the Kingdom of Sweden, Deputy Prime Minister Maricik will hold several bilateral meetings, including a meeting with the Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh and the Chairman of the Parliamentary Group of Friends of the Western Balkans, Adnan Dibrani, and the Chairman of the EU Committee, Piri Niemi, as well as Director-General of the Swedish Development Agency, Carin Jamtin.