Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, in a telephone conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, sought support regarding the decision to start the negotiations with Macedonia which is to be adopted by the EU Council in June, given that the country has the status of a candidate country for EU membership since 2005, concluded the Prespa Agreement and achieved results in terms of the reform processes.

It is time for the EU Council to adopt a positive decision to open accession negotiations. This decision will be an additional encouragement to continue the reforms, Zaev said in a telephone conversation with Merkel on Wednesday.

The interlocutors, according to the government’s press service, concluded that the implementation of the Prespa Agreement is good news for Europe.

They acknowledged that the visit of Greek Prime Minister Tsipras to Macedonia on April 2, as well as the joint government session, was a historic moment.

The positive development of relations between Macedonia and Greece, as they pointed out, is a positive example for the Western Balkan region, and good news for Europe.

The implementation of the Prespa Agreement confirms that dialogue and diplomacy create positive results for overcoming open issues and can bring direct economic benefits to citizens, the interlocutors concluded.

Prime Minister Zaev informed Merkel that the governments of Macedonia and Greece signed several agreements for strengthening and developing cooperation, as well as about the business forum in Skopje attended by more than 140 companies from Greece and 250 companies from Macedonia.

In the telephone conversation, Zaev also informed Merkel about other political events in the country, such as holding an open dialogue with the opposition on the reforms, where concrete results were achieved with the adoption of a new anti-discrimination law, the establishment of the Anti-Corruption Commission, the reforms in security services and public administration, the ongoing dialogue on the future of the Special Public Prosecutor’s Office.

Prime Minister Zaev thanked Chancellor Merkel for the support that Germany has given in all processes, including overcoming the name dispute with neighboring Greece, the internal reforms, and especially the economic advisor that Germany has provided in order to assist the Government of Macedonia.

Germany, as stated in the press release, is Macedonia’s largest trading partner, and the interest of German investors is growing. In addition, a model for dual education with the help of German partners is being implemented in the country.

Chancellor Merkel welcomed the positive development of the implementation of the Prespa Agreement, as well as the implementation of domestic reforms through an open dialogue with the opposition, which, according to her, will bring concrete and positive results.