Macedonian Prime Minister Vlado Buckovski stated in the Royal Institute of Netherlands that Macedonia is making radically faster steps compared with the Balkan average. He said that the European Union's assistance to Macedonia would speed up the whole Balkan process and it would be a clear signal that the region's future is in the EU. "Macedonia receiving the status candidate would discourage the irrational factors on the Balkan Peninsula, which are prepared to misuse the ethnic sentiments. Then, the resolving of the Kosovo issue would also be easier," the prime minister said before the Royal Institute of Netherlands.