VMRO-DPMNE stays strongly focused on the process of finding a solution to the name issue because Macedonia needs it to progress faster. However, VMRO-DPMNE has no intention of trading the interests of its people and country with anyone and for anything. All those hoping to gain something by way of blackmail, pressure or threat should know they are wasting their time, said VMRO-DPMNE leader Nikola Gruevski at the celebration of the 20th anniversary of VMRO-DPMNE in the center of Skopje Tuesday.

“They have been putting various pressures for three years and over the past 4-5 months we have gone through the fiercest pressures to accept things that are unacceptable, but not only has this yielded no results, but also a lot of time has been wasted,” the prime minister said adding that the party had been severely attacked with the threat that it would be ousted from power.

“If there is willingness to resolve the dispute in a way that will harm no one and if there is such a concrete proposal that will be acceptable to the other side, VMRO-DPMNE as it promised is going to call a referendum in which all two million citizens are going to take the decision and whatever that decision is VMRO-DPMNE is going to accept it. This is an issue that cannot be resolved with force but with reason. At the same time, our message is that we do not want and will not let anyone take away what is ours,” Gruevski emphasized.

The leader of the governing party said that VMRO-DPMNE was not renouncing the strategic goal of integrating Macedonia into NATO and the European Union.

“We are not renouncing the reforms regardless of whether someone is blocking us, because we are doing them primarily for a better future of our people,” he stressed.

The government of VMRO-DPMNE, Gruevski said, met all the criteria for joining NATO and for opening accession talks with the EU and was given recommendation for a date for starting talks, which SDSM failed to do. It also met all conditions for visa liberalization.

“This government started to seriously look for a solution to the name issue, something that SDSM did not do. They admitted to have been faking talks. However, a few years ago they realized that time worked for Greece and not us,” Gruevski said.