The Czech chairman of the EU, Mirek Topolanek, praised Macedonia for having met all criteria for visa liberalization. "We expect and we are going to encourage the Swedish presidency that the cancellation of the visa regime comes into force on 1 January next year," Topolanek said In Skopje Tuesday. In his view, only a political reason can stop Macedonia from not being granted a visa free regime with the member countries of the Schengen zone.