We asked Germany for support: if we make progress - and I am firmly convinced that we will make progress - we want this progress to result in progress in the EU. Such progress in the EU will give us a lot of strength and energy to continue with the progress at home. I think that the president received this message very seriously. This was Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski's statement following his meeting with German President Horst Köhler in Berlin on Friday, at which they discussed the economic cooperation between Macedonia and Germany and the reforms that the new Macedonian Government will implement.
In the statement for the Macedonian-language program of Radio Deutsche Welle, Gruevski said:
"We talked about things that are important to Macedonia, the region, and our bilateral relations. I explained the current situation, the economic and political challenges that we face as a new Government, and the problem with the visas. I said that people live in a ghetto in Macedonia and that this is unviable in the long run. I also said that we have a serious agenda for economic reforms, that this Government is significantly focused on the economic reforms, maintaining stability in the country, improving multiethnic trust, and speedy resolution of the problems. I said that, even though there is a negative climate in the EU as regards speedy enlargement or steps that lead toward enlargement, we, as a Government, will do everything in our power to achieve bigger progress next year so that we can receive a date for start of the negotiations as soon as possible," Gruevski said.
The Macedonian prime minister also addressed on Friday the international conference in Berlin dedicated to the future of the Western Balkans, which was organized by the Association for Southeastern Europe and the "Konrad Adenauer" Foundation.
"Macedonia took huge steps on its path toward finalizing its own independence. But many more steps need to be taken on the path toward achieving the primary political objective: integration into NATO and the European Union. Our new civilization challenge is an economically developed Macedonia. Our task is a wealthy Macedonia that will be a member of the EU and NATO. Finally, our sublimated aim is Macedonia, the better part of the Balkans," Gruevski said.
