EU Ministers To Discuss N. Macedonia, Albania Accession Process At General Affairs Council

EU Ministers to Discuss N. Macedonia, Albania Accession Process at General Affairs Council

European Union ministers will discuss proposals to open formal accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania during Tuesday's General Affairs Council meeting in Brussels, ministers confirmed ahead of the discussions

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 25th February, 2020) European Union ministers will discuss proposals to open formal accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania during Tuesday's General Affairs Council meeting in Brussels, ministers confirmed ahead of the discussions.

While the ongoing Brexit negotiations will dominate talks throughout the day, ministers from EU member states will also assess the union's enlargement mechanism, in order to potentially begin accession talks with Skopje and Tirana ahead of an EU-Western Balkans summit due to be held in Zagreb in May.

According to Andreja Metelko-Zgombic, state secretary for European affairs of Croatia, foreign ministers at Tuesday's meeting will discuss a new methodology proposed by the European Commission.

"With regard to enlargement, the European Commission will present us the proposed revised methodology on enlargement and will share with us the latest updates on the preparation of the reform progress report made by North Macedonia and Albania," Metelko-Zgombic remarked.

France, Denmark, and the Netherlands blocked proposals to open accession talks with Skopje and Tirana in October, citing the need for further reform in the two countries. However, other member states are eager for North Macedonia and Albania to join the EU as soon as possible.

"For Romania, enlargement policy is very important. We support taking a decision as soon as possible for opening the accession negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia," Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu said ahead of the General Affairs Council meeting.

While acknowledging that the EU's enlargement methodology could be streamlined further, Aurescu stated that the EU should not be closing doors to countries that meet the accession criteria.

"Our view is that, of course, we can make this methodology even more efficient, but the only condition is that we shouldn't block or postpone or delay the current processes regarding accession of certain countries, especially North Macedonia and Albania," the Romanian foreign minister stated.

At a European Council summit in October, EU ministers failed to unanimously decide on opening accession talks with Skopje and Tirana. Ministers from dissenting states demanded North Macedonia and Albania take further action to tackle corruption and organized crime, as well as implement general economic and social reform.