Plenkov: Albania, Northern Macedonia to Start EU Membership Negotiations Very Soon

Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said he believes Albania and Northern Macedonia will start negotiations for membership in the European Union very soon.

Plenkov has said at a media conference in Zagreb, along with European Council President Charles Michel, that his state is trying “to create a positive climate”, which can enable these two states to achieve their goal.

On January 1st of this year, Croatia has climbed to the helm of the EU presidency, which the rotating post every six months, and has since shown it will support Tirana and Skopje.

France and the Netherlands have hampered the launch of talks on these two countries last year, promoting frustration and concern due to the possibility of increasing Russian and Chinese influence in the Western Balkans.

To be ready for EU membership, the application country must first negotiate 35 areas, including agriculture, transport, energy, and judicial and social policies.

French President Emmanual Macron has said this week that he wants the EU-Balkans summit, which is scheduled to be held in May, “to be the moment of unity” for Europe.

Senior Croatian officials have said these statements appear to be a sign that the solution could be found before the meeting of European bloc leaders in March.