27/09/2019 (Agence Europe) – The Commissioner for Enlargement Negotiations, Johannes Hahn, welcomed on Thursday evening, 26 September, the German Bundestag's vote a few hours earlier to open EU accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania in October. “Recognition of concrete progress is essential to encourage reforms in the Western Balkans and for the EU's credibility!”, he pointed out in a tweet. Last June, the Member States decided to postpone their decision on this opening until October, in particular because the Bundestag had not yet given its opinion on the matter, leaving Germany without a position (see EUROPE 12277/6). The EU Council is expected to decide whether or not to open negotiations on 15 October. (CG)