Brussels, 04/04/2001 (Agence Europe) - Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski will join the six prime ministers and political leaders meeting for the first ordinary summit of the EPP organised outside the borders of the Union, in Sofia on 5 April. On the programme: security in the Balkans, enlargement and the general elections in Macedonia in May.
Stressing the positive role that Bulgaria, host of the Summit, is playing in the troubled regions of the Balkans, Wilfried Martens, President of the EPP, stressed that the arrival of Mr. Trajkovski was extremely important, in the sense that it would enable the participants to hear how the latter sees the current situation and its developments. Mr. Martens, moreover, recalled the patient, diplomatic and determined support Bulgaria had provided to the multi-ethnic coalition government in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
"Our concern is to ensure that countries left out of the next round of enlargement are not left out in the cold", the President of the EPP declared. "The Summit will debate a strategy to ensure that does not happen. It is in absolutely no-one's interests. Bulgaria especially has been more European-minded and responsible than many EU countries in its efforts to stabilise the region, and survive the economic damage done by the ongoing troubles of former Yugoslavia. All this at a time when the people of this country are going through a difficult and often painful transition", he continued.