The President of the Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, last night in Zagreb met with his Greek counterpart, Karolos Papoulias, the first meeting ever held between a Macedonian and Greek President.

"On my initiative, I first time met with the Greek President and discussed openly as ordinary people about our two societies, our citizens, and how can we both contribute, as presidents, for a greater cooperation between the two societies, because we have to follow the good relations, the positive trends that exist between the citizens of our two countries", President Ivanov said in Zagreb. Papoulias, as President Ivanov said, promised a new meeting.

"Now we need to continue the talks. He promised another opportunity to speak. Thus, this is a breakthrough, because since our independence there have been no meeting between a Greek and Macedonian President," President Ivanov said.

The Macedonian President, who attended last night in Zagreb, at "Ban Jelacic" square, the central ceremony marking Croatia's accession into the European Union, congratulated the people of the country and wished them all the best in their future development.

"Membership of every individual country of the region into the European Union is a gain for the whole region, because we have yet another supporter. Therefore, Slovenia and Croatia together launched the process known as "Brdo Process", and our entire region, all those present at the breakfast today, will meet again in the presence of the French President, Hollande. It speaks that there is a will to cooperate, to help. Nevertheless, symbolically, for us this is important, because for the first time, with Croatia's accession into the European Union, Macedonians access the European Union. As you are aware, Macedonians are recognized in the Croatian Constitution and it gives us special pleasure and certain personal satisfaction, because some Euro-bureaucrats will lack an alibi not to use the word Macedonians and Macedonia", President Ivanov said in Zagreb.