Minister of Information Society and Administration Marta Arsovska-Tomovska, Deputy Minister of Justice Biljana Briskovska-Boskoski and Ana Blazevska, state secretary for EU affairs, are paying a two-day working visit to Brussels.

In the light of the upcoming release of the European Commission’s progress report for Macedonia, they met with several high-ranking EU officials for talks about the progress made by Macedonia in several areas.

In the European Parliament, the Macedonian government representatives held a meeting with MEP Ivo Vajgl, who also serves as EP rapporteur for Macedonia and MEP Marijana Petir, also chairwoman of the EP’s Group of Friends of Macedonia. Furthermore, they visited the European Commission for meetings at the enlargement directorate.

The three government officials stressed that Macedonia in the coming period was going to be faced with many challenges related to judicial reforms despite the fact that a bulk of the EC’s Urgent Reform Priorities involving the judicial system had been met.

“In the meetings we’ve discussed current developments and the way the Urgent Reform Priorities are fulfilled in the areas we are covering. As regards reforms in public administration, I informed the EC officials and the MEPs about the progress made in this field, especially with respect to the most crucial priority for us – full implementation of the new legal provisions regarding public administration, which in fact had been created in cooperation with our European partners,” Minister Arsovska-Tomovska.

Asked about the state of media in Macedonia, the Minister for Information Society and Administration said she had told her interlocutors that Macedonia ‘is on the right track to improve the situation in this field.’

“Overall, the main conclusion is that Macedonia is remaining fully committed to its EU agenda with support by our European partners and friends. The upcoming elections on Dec. 11 is seen as the right step ahead,” stated Arsovska-Tomovska.

As MIA has reported before, Macedonia is expected to receive yet another conditioned recommendation on the opening of EU accession talks in the progress report, which is set to be released on November 9. Same as last year, the recommendation will be given under the condition that successful and credible polls are held in Macedonia on Dec. 11.