Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel said at the European Parliament that immediately after the elections in Macedonia a negotiation round over the name issue between Macedonia and Greece would be held. Rupel also said the relations between the two countries stagnated rather than aggravated. He believes this issue is too hot to be ignored. Utrinski vesnik comments that the EU intendeds to set a date for starting membership negotiations this year and would therefore put pressure on seeking out a solution to the dispute with Greece.