Brussels, 03/10/2007 (Agence Europe) - The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), which obtained EU candidate country statues in December 2005, is to take a series of concrete measures before it can hope to obtain a date for opening membership talks, said Olli Rehn, Enlargement Commissioner, speaking on Wednesday 3 October after an interview in Brussels with Macedonian President Branko Crvenkowski. The status of candidate country does not mean that the country has a “blank cheque” for beginning talks “as we need concrete reform results” especially in the police and judiciary, public administration and the fight against corruption, Rehn explained to the press. “These issues will determine the date of opening accession talks”, he said. President Crvenkowski expressed the hope that a date would be fixed in 2008, if possible under the Slovenian presidency during the first half of the year. The Commission will present its progress report on FYROM on 6 November. (hb)