(ANSA) - BRUXELLES - The progress that the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia is making "are remarkable" but the country has to pursue its "reform process". Fyrom and the Western Balkans have a "European perspective that will be decided in the next coming 8-9 months", the president of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, said during a joint press point with the Prime Minister of FYROM, Zoran Zaev, and the EU Commissioner for Enlargement Johannes Hah.

Juncker also stressed the importance of the relations between Fyrom, Bulgaria and Greece. If all the criteria in the five key priorities set by the EU Commission are met "and the necessary legislative measures are adopted by the end of the year, we can enter into the next phase and we can look if we can offer unconditional recommendation concerning the future start of the negotiations and the opening of chapters", Hahn pointed out. The Commissioner said to be "very optimistic" and stressed the importance to make the EU perspective a "national goal", reaching out "to the opposition to have the maximum broad consensus".

During the meeting, Zaev informed the Commission about the efforts made by the new government. "We are working on key areas reforms such as the judiciary, secret services, public administration, media" and Skopje is "working on building confidence in the institutions", as well, Zaev explained. The Prime Minister underlined that the country's main goal is to become a "full-fledged member of the EU" and therefore a good relationship with the neighbours is fundamental.(ANSA).