VMRO-DPMNE President Hristijan Mickoski, who took part in the online meeting of EPP leaders linked to the Zagreb EU – Balkans summit, has urged other conservative leaders in Europe to speed up the opening of EU accession talks with Macedonia.

The European Council agreed that the Macedonia and Albania can open the accession talks but didn’t set a date, and shortly after Macedonia faced renewed pressures from Bulgaria, which demands additional concessions in the area of Macedonia’s historical heritage.

I appeal for your help to speed up the work on holding the first inter-governmental conference that will enable the opening of our accession talks. We in VMRO-DPMNE are prepared to place the talks on a fast track, on the basis of standards, values and principles of the EU, Mickoski told the other EPP leaders.

He promised that the future VMRO led Government, which he expects will take over following the next general elections expected this year, will focus on fighting high level corruption, creating a functional system that will ensure the rule of law and on transparency.