"EU unification is a millenium project in which the Southeastern European countries must be included if we do not want our citizens to be isolated," Croatian President Stjepan Mesic said in his address before the Macedonian Parliament.Mesic is on a two-day official visit to Skopje.

"The preparations for membership in the EU are difficult and painful. Europe has rules and we must accept these rules. Our citizens should understand how the EU functions," the Croatian president said. He also said that the relations between Macedonia and Croatia are very good and that they are not burdened by anything.

President Branko Crvenkovski, Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, and the representatives of the diplomatic corps in Macedonia also attended the Croatian president's address.