Italy supports Macedonia for quick EU and NATO entrance

New Italian Government will do everything in its power for Macedonia, along with Croatia, to soon join the European Union, Italian MEP Marcello Vernova said Thursday in Skopje after meeting Vice-Premier Zoran Stavreski.

- Silvio Berlusconi is Nikola Gruevski's great friend and the new Italian Government will support Macedonia on its road to the EU, NATO. New Foreign Minister Franco Frattini is also Macedonia's friend. Berlusconi will urge Sarkozy, Merkel and Aznar to support Macedonia and recognize the excellent results achieved by Gruevski's Government in meeting the European criteria, Vernova said, adding that a new group of Italian businessmen will visit Macedonia next month.

For Vernova, Macedonia is a prosperous country with a stable government, economy - something that attracts Italian businessmen to invest in the spheres of their interest, such as energy, environment, real estate and tourism.

Vernova announced that the new Italian Government would grant financial support to Macedonia for modernization of the public administration.