BULGARIA TO SUPPORT MACEDONIA ON ITS ROAD TO NATO AND EU

As NATO member, Bulgaria will grant full support to Macedonia's efforts for accession to the Alliance and European Union, Bulgarian President Georgi Purvanov said Friday at a joint press conference with his host, Macedonian President Branko Crvenkovski. Both Presidents expressed satisfaction with the outstanding relations between the two countries and urged further intensifying of the cooperation considering the potentials. "We have also talked about processes that are important for both Macedonia and Bulgaria - integration with the Euro-Atlantic institutions. We have agreed for Bulgaria's experience in this respect to be put at disposal to Macedonia through a cooperation of the institutions of both countries," Crvenkovski said, adding that he will visit Bulgaria in the second half of this year." He also considered that the time had come for convening of the second business forum, which will boost the economic relations, enable joint addressing to infrastructure development and setting up a council of experts that is to present certain projects to the European partners.