Talking about his recent tour to six western Balkan countries (Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, FYROM and Serbia) and their prospects of joining the EU, European Commission President Jean Claude Juncker dubbed the name FYROM as the bureaucratic name used in talks.

Speaking to German-language Deutsche Welle he stressed: “In Macedonia (sic), FYROM, as it is called in bureaucratic terminology, I found that the Macedonians (sic) are making significant progress towards Europe, but I did not promise anyone a date of accession, including to those who are not yet in negotiations. The issue for me is the essence of negotiations, not setting a date.

“This became more understandable by FYROM but not so by Albania”, he said. Mr Juncker stressed that progress was made towards Europe, but made it clear that he had not promised any country a specific date for accession or the start of accession negotiations, and reiterated that the terms of membership included the arrangement of border conflict.