EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini urged the European Union on Monday to start negotiating with North Macedonia and Albania on their future membership with the bloc
BRUSSELS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 17th June, 2019) EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini urged the European Union on Monday to start negotiating with North Macedonia and Albania on their future membership with the bloc.
In June 2018, the EU Council ruled that before accession talks Albania and North Macedonia needed to carry out reforms in crucial areas. Last month, Mogherini positively assessed the countries' progress from the past year and recommended that the council open accession talks.
"I think we need to remind ourselves of ... the important steps that have been taken in the Western Balkans. I hope that Member States will remember this and acknowledge these steps forward, in particular in the coming days with an important decision to be taken on opening the negotiations of accession for both Albania and North Macedonia that I hope and believe should be done as soon as possible," Mogherini told journalists ahead of a EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Luxembourg.
According to European Commissioner for Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn, the European Commission has also confirmed its recommendation to start negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania on their potential accession to the European Union.
The European Union has granted four Western Balkan states with the status of official EU candidate: Albania, North Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro. Each of them has to negotiate the terms of accession and align their respective national laws with EU law before they can officially join.
EU accession requires the implementation of complex reforms and can only be achieved in the long term. Candidates must meet relevant criteria in such areas as the rule of law, justice reform, fight against corruption and organized crime, security, fundamental rights, functioning of democratic institutions and public administration reform, as well as on economic development and competitiveness.
North Macedonia's accession became possible after it secured a deal with Greece on its official name.
