Albania's EU membership, France: First EU Reform, Then Negotiations

EU ministers will reconsider whether to start membership talks with Skopje and Tirana, but French Minister for European Affairs Amelie de Monschalen says there can be no progress until, according to President Emmanuel Macron, reform of EU membership rules.

The French position has raised concerns in Brussels about the further delay of a already prepared process, which will deepen Balkan ties with Russia and China, Reuters reports.

The first thing to talk about is how Europe can reform its enlargement and negotiations. Is the process effective? From our point of view, it is not,” said Monschalen, calling the enlargement process” an endless soap opera “.

Paris believes the EU faces many challenges for two other countries in the Balkans -- a region that still feels the effects of the 1990s and fighting crime and corruption.

While the Netherlands supports French care for membership negotiations with Albania, which is already a NATO member, many other countries led by Italy, are frustrated by France's stance, the British news agency writes.

The European Commission believes it is wrong to increase more conditions, as northern Macedonia and Albania have met the requirements set out by EU governments.

“More and more it is difficult to give a proper explanation for the delay,” EU Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn told Reuters.