Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski said Macedonia was strong, had strong citizens and had survived for 17 years without being a member of NATO. Macedonia will continue with even more intense reforms and at a more forceful pace on its path toward Euro-Atlantic integration. He stressed that all countries except Greece gave Macedonia support in joining NATO and agreed that the country deserved membership. PM Gruevski expressed huge gratitude to the United States and President Bush for their support and said Macedonia would carry on its cooperation and partnership with this country. He also thanked Slovenia and Turkey, which openly backed Macedonia's admission, thus putting at risk their relations with Greece.