On the eve of his visit to Brussels and the meetings with high EU and NATO representatives, the President of the Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, today said that he expects positive European Commission report on Macedonia’s progress in 2012 and a date to start negotiations by the European Council in December.

This is a regular visit to Brussels prior to the submission of the report which we all expect to be positive. Reforms give results and this is evaluated by the European Commission. According to all that has been done I think this report will be positive and that finally in December we will be given what we are expecting - start of negotiations. With the High-Level Accession Dialogue we really open chapters, but we expect what every candidate country expects - a date to start negotiations”, President Ivanov said after his visit to the Broadcasting Council.

The Head of State, referring to the name issue, mentioned the recent visit to Macedonia by the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, accompanied by the mediator in the name row, Ambassador Matthew Nimetz, and assessed it as an extremely substantial meeting.

“I assess the visit of Ban Ki-moon and the UN mediator Matthew Nimetz as a very substantial on. We had very comprehensive talks. At this meeting with Ban Ki-moon, we opened all issues, all aspects and all that we as a country have taken and initiated to prove our willingness to come to a solution. However, the other side constantly has excuses for it to be postponed. Once due to the elections, than the economic crisis, and later is unwillingness. All this was acknowledged and stated in a press conference by Ban Ki-moon. Our side in terms of this two-decade dispute has a clean record”, the President stressed.

Asked about the relations within the governmental coalition following the event in Slupcane and the latest case with placing boards with new names of several schools in the municipality of Cair, President Ivanov said that it is a daily political issue.

“There are institutions and these institutions need to function and to take what is in their jurisdiction. It is a daily political issue, we should leave the coalition partners to find a solution”, President Gjorge Ivanov said.