Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski met Wednesday with the European Parliament's rapporteur on Macedonia, Richard Howitt.

Interlocutors discussed Macedonia's European integration.

Gruevski and Howitt praised the European Commission's positive assessments involving Macedonia's progress in the EU integration process and its conclusions over the positive changes in social spheres.

PM Gruevski thanked the MEP for his personal engagement in and contribution to promoting the country's interest and for the European Parliament's principled support and concrete contribution to Macedonia.

The Premier presented the reforms aimed at improving the conditions to meet the needs of the citizens and attaining European standards and underscored the government's clear commitment to intensifying the reforms processes in the future.

It was concluded that fulfilment of the EC recommendation on setting a date for opening EU-Macedonian membership talks in December would serve as a motivation to boost reforms and solve all outstanding issues affecting the integration process.

In addition to Gruevski, MEP Howitt met with Deputy PM for EU Affairs, Teuta Arifi, SDSM leader Branko Crvenkovski and NGO representatives and attended an international conference on anti-discrimination.