MEPs on the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs called for the opening of accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania on Wednesday 20 April, adopting two reports on the two countries.
MEPs urge EU Member States to show unity by formally starting accession negotiations with these two Western Balkan countries, taking into account both the geopolitical implications of this decision - notably in relation to the war in Ukraine - and the fulfilment of the official criteria by both countries.
In their view, the failure to open negotiations undermines public attitudes towards the EU and poses a serious danger to the EU’s enlargement policy. They also call on North Macedonia and Bulgaria to find a mutually acceptable solution to outstanding bilateral issues quickly so as not to delay or further impede accession, welcoming the political momentum for constructive engagement between the two sides.
MEPs also call on Albania to maintain and intensify its efforts to strengthen the functioning of the judicial system, democracy, the Rule of law, and the economy. Tirana should also step up the fight against corruption and organised crime, ensure media freedom and guarantee the protection of minority rights, says the report by Isabel Santos (S&D, Portugal). The report by Ilhan Kyuchyuk (Renew Europe, Bulgaria) highlights Skopje’s continued efforts to strengthen the Rule of law, the independence of the judiciary and the rights of minorities, to fight corruption and organised crime, to reform its public administration, and to strengthen media freedom.
The Committee also welcomes the alignment of Albania and North Macedonia with EU foreign policy.
The reports will be debated and voted on at the plenary session on 18 and 19 May. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)