Macedonia is ahead of a vital referendum that will determine the country’s Euro-Atlantic future, Italian Defense Minister Elisabetta Trenta said Monday after meeting her counterpart Radmila Sekerisnka. “Italy has always believed that the two countries should be side by side within the Euro-Atlantic community to share the common values, principles of democracy, rule of law and solidarity in responding to all of our common challenges,” Trenta said. She commended Macedonia’s tangible progress in implementing reforms and advancing the relations with its neighbours, expressing hope that the country is ready to move forward to a full-fledged NATO, EU membership.