SKOPJE, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- Macedonia is on the right track towards the opening of accession talks with the European Union (EU), the President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker told a news conference here Sunday.
Juncker, who is accompanied by EU Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn, said Macedonia had made impressive progress, but it had to take more steps on its path to the EU.
Meanwhile, he noted that the EU would reach decisions about the countries separately, based on their individual merits.
However, he explained that he hadn't come to Skopje to announce an exact date for the opening of EU negotiations.
"We haven't come here to announce a date, we are here to tell you that you're on the right track, and if you continue taking this path, within months you will give an opportunity to the European Commission to propose opening of talks to the Council of the EU," Juncker told a joint news conference in Skopje with Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev.
Further, he called on Macedonian authorities to solve the name issue with Greece while he praised the progress made in the process.
He considered the Macedonian government's decision to rename the Alexander the Great airport as a sign of concession in the negotiating process.
On his part, Zaev said that Macedonia put an emphasis on building new bridges of cooperation and opening dialogue based on mutual respect.
Zaev stressed that for the government, a name with a geographical qualifier was acceptable as a solution that would make a distinction between Macedonia and the region in Greece, which is also called Macedonia.
However, Zaev stressed that Macedonia opted for a solution that would respect the dignity and protect the identity of the two countries.
