The law's amendments would soon enter parliamentary procedure, said Saturday Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski,whereas an end must be put to a dark past in order to move forward.

"Lustration is a difficult process, which requires serious engagement, with lots of resistance on the way, be it from the constitutional court or powerful individuals", said PM Gruevski after the opening of two laboratories at the Faculty of Computer Science and Engineering (FINKI).

He stressed the process should have begun in the 1990s, and although with enormous delay, it must be completed.

Pertaining to statements by Greek officials that the name row should be settled first, followed by Macedonia's NATO accession, Gruevski said he would refrain from comments until the meeting with Greek counterpart Lucas Papademos in Brussels on March 1.

With regards to decriminalization of slander, he said it should develop in parallel with increasing professionalism and feeling of responsibility among journalists.

"Many journalists possess this, but it is obvious we have had shortcomings in the past", added Gruevski.