38 minutes agoToday the EC meets, EU leaders decide for negotiations with Albania, Northern Macedonia
Periskopi(5 years ago)
(5 years ago)The European Council will meet today in Brussels, where the date is expected to be set for holding the first intergovernmental conference between Albania and North Macedonia with the EU. Bulgaria continues to insist on vetoing Skopje, which holds Northern Macedonia hostage and does not give the green light for European integration. This decision of [...]
Bulgaria continues to insist on vetoing Skopje, which holds Northern Macedonia hostage and does not give the green light for European integration. Bulgaria's decision also hinders Albania because it is said the decision will be made for both states.
Meanwhile, weeks ago, the Netherlands gave the green light to Albania to start membership negotiations. . After the end of the March general elections, where the prime minister's party, Mark Rutte, won the fourth mandate to lead the country, the Netherlands has decided to give its maximum attention to integration processes.
The EU's most sceptical country appears to have already been convinced that Albania has made sufficient progress to sit down with Brussels officials and formally launch membership talks.
Albania's question and its fate for continuing integration routes were widely discussed at the Dutch Parliament's meeting, where the blockage for holding the first Intergovernmental Conference with our country was decided to be removed following the negotiating framework. The Dutch Embassy immediately after the decision shared its government's stance.
Following this positive Dutch stance and statements by the countries' top diplomats, Germany, Austria or Italy, are hopeful that Albania will open the way to the June 22nd European Council meeting that will follow the Intergovernmental Conference.
Last month, on 5 May, the European Union Council has sent a working letter to the delegations of EU countries, ahead of today's gathering of EU foreign ministers, where it was asked that Tirana and Skopje be provided green light.
Similarly, according to the EU Council, reform momentum should be maintained in these two countries and move forward with European integration.
For Albania and Northern Macedonia, the EU accession process itself has provided the strongest incentive for reforms, and as such, more democracy, stability and prosperity for its respective populations. It is now essential that accession negotiations start as soon as possible and move forward, along with maintaining the momentum of reforms in two countries”, said paragraph 21.2. / TCh
