DUBLIN: MACEDONIAN PM SUBMITS APPLICATION FOR EU MEMBERSHIP

DUBLIN, March 22 (Hina) - Macedonian Prime Minister Branko Crvenovski in Dublin on Monday officially submitted to his Irish counterpart Bertie Ahern Macedonia's application for EU membership.#L# Crvenkovski was scheduled to submit the country's formal application on February 26, but the ceremony was postponed because of a plane crash in which Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski was killed. Ahern, whose country is chairing the EU, said at a news conference that late president Trajkovski signed the country's candidacy. In the moment of increased tensions in the region, let us remember his courage and the path of reconciliation he took in such a divided society, Ahern said speaking about last week's violence in Kosovo in which 28 people were killed and more than 600 were injured. The Irish PM expressed conviction Macedonia will manage to enter the EU. Earlier today, EU High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana expressed satisfaction with Macedonia's official candidacy for joining the EU. He said it represented a hope for the entire region. (Hina) it