Vice-Prime Minister for European Affairs Fatmir Besimi presented Tuesday an IPA 2 Manual on Sectoral Programming to representatives of all Macedonia's state institutions.

At the event, held within the visit of a European Union team to Macedonia for the EU Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA) 2 (2014-2020), Besimi said the country was facing a challenge to set a solid basis for implementation of this instrument in order to ensure effective and efficient use of the funds in the next 7-year period.

He encouraged the attendees to take advantage of this opportunity, as well as of the presence of representatives of the European Commission through discussion and dialogue to learn more about the new IPA.

Within a several-day visit of the EU team to Macedonia, Besimi held talks with David Cullen, responsible for Macedonia in the European Commission’s Directorate General for Enlargement and Nicolas Nachtigall Marten, IPA Coordinator for the country in the Directorate General for Enlargement.

The talks addressed Macedonia's EU-integration, in particular the utilisation of IPA funds from for the next programming period 2014-2020.

Macedonia's Government is fully committed via dialogue to overcome all reform challenges on the road to EU accession, which remains its top, strategic priority, Besimi said.

Referring to activities for programming the IPA 2, Besimi said the working groups composed of representatives of relevant institutions, were set up to select projects that would be the funds beneficiaries.

Besimi expressed gratitude for the EU support of the country's process for planning and implementing the national IPA-funded projects.

It is very significant for Macedonia in this period to make progress towards launching the EU accession talks, Besimi said, pointing out that all stakeholders in the country should contribute to that effect.