Romania unreservedly supports Macedonia’s integration into the European Union and NATO, but such decisions are made collectively by all member states and, therefore, it is necessary to resolve the name dispute, the Romanian President Traian Basescu said after today’s meeting in Bucharest with the Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov.

”Romania alone can not decide for the accession into NATO and the EU. Such a decision should be made collectively by all member states, both for the EU and NATO. Regardless of the developments in the relations between Macedonia and Greece, Romania will always unreservedly support Macedonia’s inclusion into NATO and the EU. We do not have any motif not to support Macedonia’s accession into the EU”, the Romanian President Traian Basescu stressed.

”The problem, President Basescu continued, is bilateral and regardless of our support to Macedonia, as long as there is a veto, no progress will be achieved. Thus I would like to call for finding a solution to the bilateral dispute”.

Romanian President at the joint press conference also stressed that Romania’s interest is all Western Balkans countries to become EU and NATO members and that at this point, according to their opinion, countries that may have accelerated process of accession into these structures are Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia.

The President of the Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov expressed his gratitude for Romania's support to Macedonia in the EU integration processes, as well as for everything that Romania has done for the Macedonian community, Macedonians to be given the opportunity to learn their mother tongue, to exercise their rights, as Macedonia does the same for the Aroman community.
 

"It is in our interest the support we receive from Romania for our integration into the EU and NATO to continue with the same intensity", President Ivanov said.
 

In presence of both presidents bilateral agreements were signed in the field of scientific, economic and technical cooperation as well as in the field of tourism. The agreements were signed by the Macedonian Minister without portfolio in charge of attracting foreign investment Vele Samak.
 

The signing of these two agreements, according to the opinion of both Presidents, will contribute to the intensification of the bilateral relations and economic cooperation. So far, Macedonia and Romania have signed over 30 bilateral agreements.
 

At the University "Dimitrie Kantemir", President Ivanov was awarded with the title Doctor Honoris Causa. This is the third title Doctor Honoris Causa awarded to President Ivanov during his presidential term. In October 2009 he awarded with the title Doctor Honoris Causa at the TOBB University in Ankara, and in March this year at the University of Istanbul.
 

President Ivanov this afternoon in Bucharest will meet the President of the Senate Mircea Geoana and Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc.