Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski met Thursday with Greek Vice-Premier and Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos, who pays a visit to Macedonia in the capacity of EU Council of Ministers chairman.

Gruevski and Venizelos shared opinions on developments in Macedonia and its progress on the road to the EU membership. The talks addressed the country’s reforms and activities for meeting the membership criteria and advancing its cooperation with the EU.

Gruevski commended Venizelos’s visit, saying that it is a continuation of the visits of  EU Presidency officials to Macedonia as a candidate country for the EU membership.

He expressed belief that Greece’s EU Presidency would contribute to the prospect of Balkan countries on their road to membership in line with the Thessaloniki agenda. Macedonia, he said, remains committed to make further progress in terms of its EU agenda.

The European Commission’s five consecutive recommendations for opening of Macedonia’s EU accession talks are the best recognition of the country’s progress in key reform areas, Gruevski said.

He also underlined the need of grater attention to resuming the dialogue within the UN-mediated negotiations on the name dispute. More intensive bilateral talks on the matter are also needed, Gruevski said, pointing out that they could gradually reduce the differences. Both parties should demonstrate genuine commitment and will to that effect, he added.

Gruevski expressed readiness for further advancement of the good-neighbourly relations with Greece during and after its EU Presidency mandate, in particular for bolstering the economic ties and expanding the bilateral cooperation frame.