The European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs is set to vote Tuesday on the draft-resolution of Macedonia's progress, after MEPs agreed yesterday on the amendments, which primarily focus on the requirement for swift start of EU accession talks.

Despite differences among MEPs on many issues regarding Macedonia, they managed to agree on 21 compromise amendments.

"It is important that the Committee and the Parliament say when voting on the resolution that the 'status quo' is not sustainable", said Committee Rapporteur on Macedonia, Richard Howitt.

Howitt said at the start of the amendment debate he had wanted to promote a positive approach in the country's assessment by welcoming the World Bank report for Macedonia, the Transparency International evaluation, the basketball team's achievement, followed by the requests for judiciary reforms, press freedom, decentralization, discrimination, as well as encouragement to hold the population census, and minority rights.

The British MEP insisted on the use of the country's name in EU's official documents, which was supported by Slovenian colleagues Jelko Kacin and Alojz Peterle.

"I come from the former Yugoslav Republic of Slovenia. Slovenia recognized Macedonia under its authentic and sovereign name. When the country was part of Yugoslavia, this was not a problem for anyone. Everyone has an identity and we need to respect the basic values and principles of one's identity", stressed Peterle.

German MEP Bernd Posselt urged the Committee not to ignore the Macedonia-Greece Interim Accord an the International Court of Justice judgment.

"The Interim Accord should not be ignored, it needs to be enforced. We continuously said one should wait for the ICJ ruling, now we have it and again we wait. If the judgment had been different, we would not have waited, that is why I am sceptical over the situation", said Posselt alluding if Greece won the ICJ ruling there was a good chance they would have never stopped talking about it.

On the other hand, Greek MEPs accused Macedonia of provocation and propaganda.

"This country is trying to create a false identity and history that is based on a propaganda about their identity. The country's name is not the problem, but the lies that continuously emerge from that propaganda. The country's authorities need to undertake something because their propaganda has gone too far", stressed Marietta Giannakou.

Ironically, the ICJ ruling counters Giannakou statement. 

Bulgarian MEPs join their Greek colleagues again, presented their requirements regarding the rights of the "Bulgarian minority" in Macedonia, as well as good neighborly relations.

"I hope our Macedonian neighbors will succeed in overcoming influences from the past and choose a constructive way to build relations with neighbors", said Andrey Kovatchev.

Last year's rapporteur on Macedonia, Kristian Vigenin underlined it was normal that the name was in the focus of the debate, since "regardless of our actions, the issue prevents us from making progress".

After Tuesday's vote, the resolution will be debated at a European Parliament plenary session.