AUSTRIA SUPPORTS MACEDONIA ON ROAD TO EU AND NATO

As Macedonian and Austrian Prime Ministers, Hari Kostov and Wolfgang Schuessel concluded at Wednesday's meeting in Vienna, Macedonia can rely on Austrian support on the road to EU and NATO, there are no open issues between the two countries, while future emphasis must be put on intensification of the economic cooperation.
"Macedonia is in a very significant stage in its development. After submitting of the application for EU membership, we are intensively working on the European Commission Questionnaire, along with reforms in several spheres", Kostov stressed at the press conference following the meeting.
Schuessel emphasized that Austria was ready to support and give advice to Macedonia on the road towards Euro-Atlantic integration. "Austria supports Macedonia's aspirations for Union membership and wants to be a bridge between Macedonia and the European Union. If the Framework Agreement is fully implemented, including the decentralization, EU and NATO doors are open", the Austrian Chancellor said.
The Macedonian PM expressed satisfaction from the presence of Austrian investors in Macedonia, pointing out the necessity for intensification of economic cooperation, adding that KNAUF and TONDACH investments were a positive example, as well as guidelines and guaranty for other Austrian companies that Macedonia is a good soil for profit.

In the field of economy, Schuessel stated that both countries could do a lot in the creation of a favorable business climate for attraction of foreign investments. He stressed that Macedonia must create all necessary preconditions for attraction of foreign investment, adding his belief that the volume of Austrian investments in the country would increase in the upcoming years.


PARLIAMENT DEBATES ON LAW ON FOLLOWING COMMUNICATIONS

Establishment of balance between public and private interest in the sphere of freedom and inviolability of the letters and other forms of communications, precise establishment of the conditions and procedures for limitation of such right, as well as control of the legislation for following communications, are some of the goals of the Law on Following Communication which Interior Minister Siljan Avramovski presented Wednesday in the Parliament.
According to Avramovski, the Law proposed by the Government will allow more effective prevention, discovering of crime and forms of organized crime, fight against transnational organized crime and harmonization of Macedonian with European legislation.
Avramovski explained that the Law provided legal framework, which restricted the eventual possibilities to violate the privacy by the state organs.
The parliamentary session is expected to resume after a short pause. VMRO-DPMNE parliamentary group asked the pause in order to review the explanation of Minister Avramovski.