27/09/2017 (Agence Europe) – According to a press release reported by Macedonian media, the foreign affairs minister of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Nikola Dimitrov, told European Commissioner for Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn during his visit to Brussels on Tuesday 26 September that his government was "fully committed to implementing the most important reforms so as to accelerate the launch of his country's pre-accession negotiations". Dimitrov had already announced the he would like his country to open its negotiations in 12 to 18 months' time (see EUROPE 11858). Hahn tweeted his encouragement for the country to continue implementation of its reforms. A group of independent experts, supported by the Commission, sent a report in mid-September on the reforms to be implemented in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (see EUROPE 11864). (CG)