In the framework of the visit to the Republic of Lithuania, Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski met Monday with Parliament Speaker Vydas Gedvilas.

Gruevski and Gedvilas agreed the friendly bilateral relations should be mirrored through more intensive parliamentary cooperation in fields of mutual interest.

PM Gruevski thanked the support of the Baltic states to Macedonia's European and Euro-Atlantic integration efforts through the joint declaration presented at the Conference of Parliamentary Committees for Union Affairs meeting in Copenhagen last year, urging for swift start of the EU accession negotiations.

Macedonia remains committed to the European agenda, said Gruevski, referring to the European Commission's four successive recommendations for start of the Union accession talks, as well as the initiatives towards overcoming the open issues that prevent the country's European integration.

Speaker Gedvilas said both countries nurtured excellent cooperation, which represents a good foundation for upgrading of relations. He saluted Macedonia's efforts regarding the EU and NATO agenda, saying bilateral parliamentary cooperation would result in progress and strengthening of friendly relations.