Brussels, 03/06/2008 (Agence Europe) - The EU is still in favour of European integration by the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) but underlines that a new ballot must be organised in accordance with international rules in polling stations where violent incidents occurred on Sunday 1 June, the day of legislative elections (EUROPE 9673). “The EU remains very much in favour of the country's European integration prospects”, Commissioner Olli Rehn said in a press release published on Monday evening after publication by a highly critical OSCE report on the way that the Macedonian legislative elections had unfolded. At the same time, Mr Rehn stressed the fact that “holding free and fair elections is an essential part of the political criterion for the accession process” and that it is “imperative for new votes to be held in accordance with international rules”. The commissioner also expects the Macedonian authorities to duly inquire into all the incidents reported so that those responsible for these incidents may be prosecuted. The Slovenian EU Council Presidency also published a declaration on behalf of the 27 in which it considers that the organisation of a new ballot in the places affected by violence on 1 June will confer the necessary “legitimacy” on legislative elections. The Slovenian EU Presidency also encourages the future new government (probably headed by outgoing Prime Minister Nikola Gurevski) to “redouble reform efforts”. If the eight benchmarks fixed by the Commission are met by the autumn, the EU believes “further steps in the European integration process are possible later this year by fulfilling the necessary conditions”, that is, by fixing a date at the end of the year for opening membership negotiations. (H.B.)