7 hours agoEU delays opening negotiations with Albania, failing to meet conditions
Periskopi(6 years ago)
(6 years ago)European Union ambassadors have decided to postpone negotiations with Albania and Northern Macedonia. A day earlier, German Chancellor Angela Merkel had declared there is no deadline for when the talks with Albania will open. The Committee of Permanent Representatives (Cerepper) agreed in their conclusions that Albania is not [...]
A day earlier, German Chancellor Angela Merkel had declared there is no deadline for when the talks with Albania will open.
The Committee of Permanent Representatives (Cerepper) agreed on their conclusions that Albania is not yet ready to hold the first intergovernmental conference with the EU, as there is still work to be done on the conditions set since March 2020.
Although ambassadors praised Albania's work on reforms, they stressed that it should show more progress in meeting the conditions.
Regarding Northern Macedonia, it was declared that the date for the first conference would be set once the country resolves its issues with Bulgaria. We remember Bulgaria has blocked the start of accession talks with northern Macedonia.
She claims the Macedonian language is a Bulgarian dialect and that there is no Macedonian minority in Bulgaria. Both statements are required to be included in the final document allowing the start of talks.
Northern Macedonia Prime Minister Zoran Zaev has so far refused to give up demands.
Italy reportedly tried to ease the text's language of conclusions for Albania, but the request was rejected.
The draft of the conclusions reached today by EU ambassadors will be approved by the General Affairs Council, comprised of the EU member states' foreign and European affairs ministers, on 8 December.
