Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev on July 5 unveiled details of the draft plan to implement urgent priority reforms needed for the tiny Balkan country to make further progress towards integration in the key international institutions.

One of the main priorities of the new government led by Zaev’s Social Democrats is bringing Macedonia into the European Union and Nato. The aim of the package is to convince EU members to set a date for Macedonia to start EU accession talks. The draft document is also expected to bring Macedonia closer to Nato.

“The plan dubbed 3-6-9, adopted on July 4, is an important document for the country's Euro-Atlantic perspectives, which will improve the quality of life of all citizens,” Zaev said in a government statement.

“Within three months, the government should complete the first reforms, which will provide arguments for the European Commission to remove the conditionality of the recommendation for Macedonia to start the EU accession talks,” the prime minister said.

Macedonia has been an EU candidate country since 2005 and recently received eight recommendations, conditional mostly on the implementation of reforms in various sectors, to start the long-awaited accession talks. However, the country also needs to resolve the "name dispute" with Greece - which objects to the use of the name Macedonia as it is shared by a Greek province - to be able to join international organisations. Greece is also blocking Macedonia’s bid to be part of Nato.

The reforms outlined by Zaev include a democratic parliament, judicial and media reforms, the fight against organised crime and corruption, as well as reforms in the public administration and security services.

It also envisages conditions for fair and democratic local election and peaceful cohabitation of all ethnic minorities.

The first package of reforms should be completed by the local elections planned to be held in October.

The second reform package should be finished within six months, specifically by the December European Council meeting, and is aimed at showing solid results in several areas that will strengthen Macedonia’s position as a serious EU candidate country.

The third package is expected to be implemented within nine months, before the release of the next European Commission report on Macedonia. 

Zaev said that the government will be in close contact with NGOs and will allow the opposition VMRO-DPMNE to take part in the reform processes.

EU Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn, who visited Macedonia at the end of June, said that all relevant institutions in Macedonia should focus on the implementation of the reform priorities.