The EU Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn says in an interview for the Macedonian Informative Agency (MIA) that from VMRO-DPMNE they assured him that they do not intend to boycott the upcoming presidential election. “Democracy means constructive cross party cooperation and the ability to compromise. Boycotts are not a sign of democratic maturity. In this respect I have been reassured by the opposition leader Hristijan Mickoski that they will play an active and constructive role in the presidential election and I have no reasons for having any doubts about that,” Hahn says. The commissioner reiterated the positions of the EU concerning the integration of Macedonia, saying that all reforms should be implemented before start of membership negotiations. “I think that every candidate country is well-advised to set up the negotiation teams in time and equip them with the best experts. The quality of these teams will be decisive for the good progress of negotiations. The integration of the Western Balkans is an investment in peace, stability and prosperity in our immediate neighbourhood,” the EU Enlargement Commissioner says.