Å tefan Füle European Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy Address to the Joint Parliamentary Committee EU-former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Joint Parliamentary Committee Skopje, 19 February 2010

Source: European Commission (EC) i, published on Friday, February 19 2010.

IP/10/166

Brussels, 18 February 2010

On Friday, 19 February, the Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Štefan Füle i will visit the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

Commissioner Füle will be visiting the country just one week after his appointment. The visit takes place in the context of the European Commission's recommendation to open EU accession negotiations, which on 10 February received the wide backing of the European Parliament.

Commissioner Füle intends to strongly encourage the country's highest authorities to maintain and further intensify the efforts on the reform agenda as well as to actively pursue the talks on the bilateral name issue with Greece under the UN auspices. "The European Commission will do its utmost to support the reform agenda. Now is a time of opportunity, a time to show leadership and address outstanding issues in a European spirit" Commissioner Füle said.

During his stay, Mr Füle will meet with President Gjorgje Ivanov, with Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski and he will address the Joint Parliamentary Committee between the Parliament of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and the European Parliament. Commissioner Füle with also meet the leader of the SDSM party Branko Crvenkovski and the leader of the Democratic Union for Integration party Ali Ahmeti.