A few days before the Western Balkans summit, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, on a visit to the region, gave her support, on Tuesday 28 September, to the holding of the first intergovernmental conferences with Albania and North Macedonia by the end of the year.
Whether it was Tirana or Skopje, Mrs von der Leyen said she felt that both countries had done what they had been asked to do. “Our goal is to start (EU accession negotiations) by the end of the year “, she said during press conferences with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and North Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, adding that the EU must now keep its promises to both countries.
“The future” of Albania and North Macedonia “is in the EU”, the Commission President insisted.
Mrs von der Leyen welcomed the progress made by these countries in the fight against organised crime and corruption, congratulating Albania on its progress in judicial reform and North Macedonia on the Rule of law. Both countries were invited to continue their efforts.
While Tirana and Skopje have met the conditions to formally open their EU accession negotiations, a bilateral dispute between Bulgaria and North Macedonia is blocking the process. After a visit to Sofia last week (see EUROPE 12796/3), the European Commissioner for Enlargement, Olivér Várhelyi, is visiting Skopje on Wednesday to try to break the deadlock.
Speaking to the media, Mr Zaev denounced the blockage, adding that it had a negative impact on the region, while Mr Rama said his country was “ hostage” to the dispute between Skopje and Sofia.
Beyond enlargement, Mrs von der Leyen recalled the EU’s support to the region in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic and its consequences. In the longer term, she said, “we need to look at the investments that will ensure a sustainable recovery, a strong economy”.
The President of the Commission has announced additional funds under the Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans for 2021. In addition to the €500 million already made available, Mrs von der Leyen announced a further €600 million. The plan has €9 billion at its disposal (see EUROPE 12575/10).
Mrs von der Leyen also called on the countries of the region to move forward rapidly in the process of implementing the regional common market. She said she also hoped that Albanian and Macedonian citizens would participate fully in the Conference on the Future of Europe.
Finally, underlining her concerns about the rising tensions between Kosovo and Serbia (see EUROPE 12799/20), the Commission President called for appeasement and dialogue. More broadly, she recalled the importance of cooperation in the region.
In addition, the Member States are currently working on the Balkan Summit Declaration. While the initial version emphasises the EU’s unequivocal support for the European perspective of the Western Balkans (see EUROPE 12786/1), some Member States would like a clearer reference to enlargement. The EU27 ambassadors will discuss this on Wednesday, 29 September. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)