(ANSA) - BRUXELLES, 28 SET - The Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs of Macedonia, Bujar Osmani, said this morning in Brussels to be "optimist that all the conditions will be met, turnout and majority" at the referendum on the name issue next Sunday. Osmani held a joint press point with EU Commissioner for Enlargement Johannes Hahn, and Albanian Minister of Justice Etilda Gjonaj, after the Commission and Skopje and Tirana's delegations officially started a legislative screening process to open accession negotiations in June 2019.

"I'm sure on Sunday the absolute majority of citizens will vote in favour of joining Nato and the implementation of the agreement with Greece but, hypothetically, even if the turnout is lower, the referendum is not about testing the voting mechanism but the will of citizens", Osmani pointed out. (ANSA).