Crvenkovski says 2007 crucial for Macedonia's EU integration

The first half of 2007 is crucial for Macedonia's ambitions to join the EU, President Branko Crvenkovski said while making his annual address to the nation. The year 2007 holds a key to Macedonia's road to the EU, i.e. whether the country will catch up with Croatia or it will remain in the group of other Western Balkan countries, President Crvenkovski said. Neither MPs of the ruling coalition VMRO-DPMNE/DPA nor government officials attended the address by the head of state at parliament's chamber. "The first six months of the next year are key period. The pace of country's integration into the EU will greatly depend on what will be accomplished in the forthcoming months," he added. According to President Crvenkovski, Macedonia could either catch up with Croatia or next to Croatia, or it will remain in the group of other countries in the Western Balkan region with great uncertainty over the next chance. He stressed that Macedonia should do its outmost to ensure that it receives the start-date for EU accession talks by the end of 2007.