The President of the Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, within today's working visit to Brussels, met with the EU Enlargement Commissioner, Stefan Fule, and noted that the status quo regarding the Macedonian EU integration is frustrating and urged the Republic of Macedonia to get a date to launch negotiations for the upcoming Summit of the European Council, and solve the bilateral dispute with Greece in parallel.

During the meeting, they exchanged views and information on Macedonia's European Union integration process, the post-election situation in Macedonia, the latest developments in the United Nations negotiation process with the imposed name dispute. They also discussed the current situation in the region and good neighborly relations.

President Ivanov told the Commissioner that the prolonged waiting for the next step in the Euro-Atlantic integration does not help in speeding up reforms and overcoming remarks from the last progress report on the country by the European Commission.

"Status quo creates frustration in our society. It is not good for Macedonia, for the region, and for the enlargement credibility. Macedonia urges, at the upcoming Summit of the European Council, the positive example of parallel movement in the integration and overcoming the bilateral dispute to be applied in our case as well," President Ivanov said at a meeting with the EU Enlargement Commissioner.

EU Commissioner Fule also congratulated the re-election of President Ivanov, noting satisfaction with the cooperation in the first term and readiness for successful and open collaboration in the new term. He noted that the main challenges are the current political situation in Europe and the Balkans, and especially in the Republic of Macedonia.

EU Commissioner Fule stressed that the reform process in the country must continue, with focus on overcoming remarks in the European Commission reports and of the OSCE/ODIHR. Fule noted that after the elections for a new composition of the European Parliament, to be held before the end of this month, he is ready to continue the constructive dialogue with the Macedonian President regarding the challenges and opportunities in the coming period.