We appreciate that Macedonia's progress has been recognised in the conclusions of the EU Council of Ministers. However, we are disappointed that once again there was no decision to start the well-deserved accession negotiations with Macedonia. This is clearly a missed opportunity to substantially contribute towards more stable and prosperous Balkans.

These positions were presented by Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski to heads of state and government and party leaders attending a summit of the European People's Party in Brussels on Thursday. He welcomed the conclusion stating that enlargement remained EU's key policy, vowing that reform implementation in Macedonia would be heightened.

"I want to sincerely thank the member states and EU institutions who have worked hard to make progress involving the EU integration file. We will not disappoint them and we will redouble all our efforts related to reforms and dialogue," the Macedonian PM said.

It is not the first time we face an obstruction, he added. "Our southern neighbour favours a practice of non-observance of international law and disregards undertaken engagements. It is a challenge to the credibility of the EU enlargement."

"Our response is a truly European one. We will continue with the reforms, making all efforts necessary to spread peace, confidence and stability in South-East Europe. I believe this is going to be valued more than making the blockade practice an attractive one," Gruevski stressed.

The EPP summit is be attended by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Romanian President Traian Basescu, as well as the premiers of Luxembourg, Hungary, Poland, Bulgaria, Greece, Albania, Slovenia, Sweden, Latvia, Malta, Finland, Portugal and Moldova, along with European Council President Herman van Rompuy and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso.

PM Gruevski is expected to hold bilateral talks on the sidelines of the EPP summit.