Roth: Opening negotiations, encouraging signal for young Albania

The opening of negotiations for accession would be an encouraging signal for people, especially for young people in Albania and Macedonia”, German State Minister Michael Roth told the newspaper “Welt am Sonntag”.

“However, the road to EU entry is long, and for each step there are clear conditions. So the issue of launching accession negotiations is not an issue for immediate accession, but the first step of a long road”, he said.

The geopolitical importance of the Western Balkans is often underestimated. A stabilisation and democratisation of the region is needed the proper level of encouragement and clear conditions”, Roth says.

There is resistance to negotiations on accession from parties to the Union. The heads of the United States and the European Council Governments seek to decide on the issue at the summit, to be held in June.