SOFIA, June 20 (Xinhua) -- The political stability and territorial integrity of Macedonia are paramount for the country's path to the European Union (EU) and NATO, Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said Tuesday.
Macedonia's possible membership in NATO, the EU and united Balkans is contingent upon the country first achieving domestic political stability, and solving the issues by the political elite of the country, Borissov said at a press conference after bilateral talks with his Macedonian counterpart Zoran Zaev.
"We are for a united Macedonia, we are for its membership in NATO, and subsequently in the EU," Borissov said.
He said his country would do everything possible to help fix the problems in Macedonia because its destabilization meant instability at the borders, Borissov said.
Zaev said in turn that Macedonia would rely on Bulgaria's help to join NATO and the EU.
When Macedonia's neighbors pitch in to help, this gives the country better prospects, Zaev said.
However, Borissov said in response that everything depended on the political elite in Macedonia. If the country fails to make the important steps, help would not be enough, Borissov added.
