Juncker: Macedonia has made Great Progress

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker remarked "there is a wonderful progress achieved by Macedonia on its path to EU membership," said BGNews.

"We would like to inspire the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to continue on the path it has chosen. In the last ten months, great progress has been made, "he told journalists after his meeting with Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev in Brussels, according to Juncker, all Western Balkan countries have" European prospects. "

"In the next eight or nine months, we will decide how to proceed further with each of them," the chairman of the European Commission said. At the end of October, Jean-Claude Juncker said about the need to preserve the prospect of the countries of the region for EU membership for the sake of the safety of the whole of Europe. Previously, he said he expects the EU to expand from 2019 to 2024 after the UK left the community. Juncker has repeatedly stated that there will be no enlargement of the EU within his current mandate, which expires in 2019.

Prior to the meeting with Juncker, Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev was welcomed by the EU's head of diplomacy, Federica Mogherini. The progress of the Republic of Macedonia is visible and this is a good sign of the country's progress in European integration processes, she said. The meeting highlighted that the upcoming months until the first half of 2018 are crucial for the start of Macedonia's EU membership negotiations. It was highlighted that it is important to hold a high-level summit between the Republic of Macedonia and the Hellenic Republic as soon as possible.

On the question of Macedonia's name, Zoran Zaev said: "As for the problem with Greece, we have a message: we are ready to resolve this issue. We need help and support to find a lasting solution that is supported by both sides, "said Zoran Zaev.