Brussels, 30 October 2024 (MIA) -- North Macedonia is a good example of building a multiethnic society but the country needs to strengthen public trust in the judiciary, pick up the pace of its European Union-related reforms, and to meet its obligation to adopt the constitutional amendments required for the formal opening of accession talks, according to the European Commission's 2024 draft report seen by MIA.

The report will be officially adopted and unveiled in Brussels on Wednesday, MIA's Brussels correspondent reports.

In addition to pointing out the need of constitutional change, the report stresses the necessity of implementing with goodwill the bilateral agreements with neighboring Greece and with Bulgaria, the Prespa Agreement and the Friendship Treaty, respectively.

The document also urges the state to pick up the pace of reforms necessary for EU membership, including reforms related to the rule of law, increasing public trust in the legal system as well as investigating, prosecuting, and completing protracted trials of "high profile" persons.

Also, North Macedonia needs to continue implementing reforms related to the Fundamentals cluster of the accession negotiations process, including judicial reform and the fight against corruption and organized crime, according to the draft report. mr/