Hungary will do everything in its power to overcome the status quo situation involving the EU integration process of Macedonia, Hungarian Premier Viktor Orban told Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov at the official meeting in Budapest.

Meeting with Ivanov, Orban manifested readiness and determination Hungary, being an EU chairmanship holder, to give significance to the issue of Macedonia's EU integration and to discuss it with its partners in EU.

President Ivanov sought Hungary's support and assistance at his meeting in the next step to be made in the EU integration process - setting a date and start for membership negotiations.

The President noted that a date for EU entry talks would send a message of encouragement for Macedonia to resume its reforms, which will not only affect positively in the region, but it will also maintain the enlargement credibility as the most successful policy of EU.

The Macedonian head of state told Orban that he was pledging Hungarian authorities to strengthen their engagement in convincing EU partners to observe recommendations by the European Commission and European Parliament. Ivanov also sought Macedonia to be treated fairly, pointing out the example of Slovenia and Croatia for parallel processes of integrating and settling bilateral disputes. Ivanov and Orban at their meeting also discussed bilateral relations at political and economic level.

The same messages were conveyed by President Ivanov to his Hungarian counterpart Pal Schmitt later in the day.

“President Schmitt and I have both agreed on the necessity of further intensifying the relations and the cooperation between Macedonia and Hungary in all areas of shared interest, especially in the economy. Great part of our talks was focused on Macedonian Euro-integration processes. I expressed my gratitude for the continuous support received from Hungary so far, as well as the expectation for this support to maintain in the upcoming crucial period, through setting a date for start of entry negotiations during the Hungarian Presidency with EU,” said President Ivanov following the meeting with his Hungarian counterpart Schmitt. 

Hungary is giving Macedonia 100-percent support and will put forward the issue of the accession talks date at the next session of the EU Council, Hungarian President Pal Schmitt told Macedonian colleague Gjorge Ivanov at Monday's tête-à-tête meeting.

“For Republic of Hungary and for the stability of the entire region Macedonia’s accession to the EU is very important. During our talk with President Ivanov I highlighted that besides the warm political relations, we will continue developing our economical cooperation. Hungary holds the third position by the amount of investments in Macedonia and in the near future an agreement for commercial cooperation will be signed between the two countries,” said Hungarian President Schmitt at the press conference.

Schmitt also underlined that an important topic of the conversation was the name issue, pointing that Hungary prefers not to involve directly, but will talk to both of the countries encouraging them to find appropriate solution. "There is no obstacle in passing a decision to give the country an accession talks date, since they could last 3-4 years, with a solution to the name problem found during that period. The name problem needs to be solved, but a decision on the accession talks date can be passed", said Schmitt after the meeting.

Following the meeting with President Schmitt, President Ivanov gave an interview for the Hungarian National TV Duna. On Monday, one of the most influential newspapers in Hungary - Magyar Hírlap - published an interview with President Ivanov titled "A Strong Macedonia Would be Beneficial for All". In it, Ivanov speaks about several issues, namely EU integration, the name issue and economy.

Asked what he would say to those questioning the existence of Macedonia, President Ivanov answered: „I’d say they need to wake up, get in touch with reality and get serious. While as many other countries we have been facing challenges in economy and in resolving transitional issues, when it comes to the word existence I would invite all of those who talk or wish that kind of scenarios to visit Macedonia and convince themselves of the reality of a peace-loving nation, based on the concept of integration without assimilation, with a reform oriented political agenda, a country at the doorstep of EU and NATO”.

In the frames of the two-day official visit to Hungary, President Gjorge Ivanov also met the President of the Hungarian Parliament Laszlo Kover, as well as the Macedonian community in Budapest.