In a lengthy interview with the Macedonian broadcaster TV 24, the Italian Ambassador to North Macedonia, Paolo Palminteri, reaffirmed Rome’s full support for Skopje’s European path, describing the country as “almost ready” for accession and highlighting the Italian government’s strategic vision for the integration of the Western Balkans.        The Ambassador noted that the time Skopje has spent as a candidate country has been “excessively long,” but pointed out that the political climate in