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Prime Minister of North Macedonia Zoran Zaev (R) and President of the European Council Donald Tusk attend a press conference in Skopje, North Macedonia, Sept. 17, 2019. North Macedonia has done its homework and now it is time for the European Union (EU) to finish its part of the work over the country's bid for EU membership, Tusk said here on Tuesday. (Photo by Darko Duridanski/Xinhua)

SKOPJE, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- North Macedonia has done its homework and now it is time for the European Union (EU) to finish its part of the work over the country's bid for EU membership, President of the European Council Donald Tusk said here on Tuesday.

Tusk, who is on an official visit here, spoke at a joint press conference with the Prime Minister of North Macedonia Zoran Zaev following their meeting.

According to Tusk, North Macedonia deserves the opening of EU accession negotiations, which is expected for October.

"The efforts of North Macedonia made in the last few years were extraordinary," said Tusk.

He singled out the implementation of reforms, the Prespa Agreement with Greece (that resolved the long-running Macedonia name dispute) and the bilateral agreement with Bulgaria.

Zaev said that opening accession negotiations in October is of high interest both for North Macedonia and the EU.

"We are entering a deep and long transformation journey to the final goal -- EU membership. The transformation of the country is in accordance with the policies and rules of EU, for the benefit of our citizens," Zaev said.

Tusk will travel from Skopje to Tirana, where the Albanian government hopes to open accession negotiations with the EU. North Macedonia has been a candidate country for EU membership since 2005.

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Prime Minister of North Macedonia Zoran Zaev (L) welcomes President of the European Council Donald Tusk in Skopje, North Macedonia, Sept. 17, 2019. North Macedonia has done its homework and now it is time for the European Union (EU) to finish its part of the work over the country's bid for EU membership, Tusk said here on Tuesday. (Photo by Darko Duridanski/Xinhua)

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Prime Minister of North Macedonia Zoran Zaev (R) and President of the European Council Donald Tusk attend a press conference in Skopje, North Macedonia, Sept. 17, 2019. North Macedonia has done its homework and now it is time for the European Union (EU) to finish its part of the work over the country's bid for EU membership, Tusk said here on Tuesday. (Photo by Darko Duridanski/Xinhua)

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