In a joint press conference of FYROM PM Zoran Zaev and European Council President Donald Tusk before the start of the EU Summit on immigration, the former stated he was certain of the international recognition of a “Macedonian national identity”.

On his part, Tusk, who called on all EU member-states to recognise the deal in a letter yesterday, said the deal between Greece and FYROM was an example of how states could resolve their differences.

Referring to today’s order, the Polish President said that since 2015 migratory flows have declined very significantly thanks to the EU’s co-operation with third countries (meaning Turkey), adding that any alternative would be “chaotic”.

President Tusk the “Macedonian authorities”, as he called FYROM on their cooperation in the immigration issue.

FYROM PM Zoran Zaev dubbed the news that his country was on course to enter the EU as “excellent”. He added that the European Council understood that FYROM had turned a new leaf in a very short time, referring to the stance by former nationalist Prime Minister Gruevski.

Mr Zaev underlined his country had made deep reforms and deserved to be given a date for the start of accession negotiations.

Zaev said “it is European to give a chance to a proposed solution and without gratitude of doubt we are sure of a fully and internationally recognized Macedonian national identity, protected and strengthened. Once and for all, we are bringing our country into a family of stable and developed nations.”