The Macedonian government adopted a roadmap for the implementation of the urgent priority reforms needed for the Euro-Atlantic integration of the country on June 13.

The move follows meetings between a Macedonian delegation led by Prime Minister Zoran Zaev and top EU and Nato officials in Brussels on June 12. Officials suggested the new Macedonian government start working on the much needed reforms in various area if it is to make further progress towards EU and Nato accession.

Key areas for action include securing professional state institutions, restoring the rule of law, ensuring independence of the media as well as anti-corruption measures.

The government has also decided that security and defence reforms for the modernisation of the army are needed to meet the Nato standards.

Working groups at different government levels are due to start working as early as June 14 to define a short-term (three month) set of measures and mid-term (six to nine month) measures to implement the urgent reforms, the government said in a statement on June 13.

Zaev expects the country to obtain an invitation to join Nato under the provisional name FYROM (Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) after the country’s bid to join the alliance under its current name was blocked by Greece in 2008.

However, during the recent meeting with Zaev, Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg said that Macedonia needs firstly to solve the name dispute with Greece and then to obtain an official invitation.

Athens objects to the use of the name "Macedonia" as it is shared by a northern province of Greece, and has therefore vetoed Macedonia’s progression towards membership of both the EU and Nato.