The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, said on Monday 16 May that the absence of an agreement between the EU27 to formally open accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania was a “gift to Russia”.
A dispute between Bulgaria and North Macedonia is blocking a positive decision for Skopje, and in turn for Tirana.
“It is clear that we need to start negotiations with both countries immediately. I hope this will happen during the French Presidency of the EU Council. This delay is unsustainable”, he explained at the end of the Foreign Affairs Council, saying that the situation was damaging the credibility and political prospects of both countries and the EU. According to him, there will be a “serious crisis in relations” if there is no agreement by the end of June.
Mr Borrell explained that relations between North Macedonia and Bulgaria had been discussed extensively in the EU27 and with the Balkan ministers. Their dispute “must be overcome”, the High Representative stressed.
Many ministers gave their support to North Macedonia and Albania. “This decision is long overdue. I see no reason to push it back any further”, explained the Slovak minister, Ivan Korčok, who said it was all the more important to do so because there are “competitors” in the region. According to his Croatian counterpart, Gordan Grlić-Radman, strong support for Balkan membership would help to clear the atmosphere and prevent the influence and domino effect of third countries.
For the Lithuanian Gabrielius Landsbergis, “no country should be able to veto such a strategic decision”.
The Hungarian minister went even further. According to Péter Szijjártó, if the EU cannot speed up the enlargement process, “we will be on the verge of an historic failure”. “The superiority attitude of Brussels must be abandoned, otherwise we will suffer a failure similar to that of the loss of the United Kingdom”, he warned, explaining that the EU now needed the Western Balkans much more than the Western Balkan countries needed it.
In addition, many ministers have called for visa liberalisation for Kosovo. Mr Borrell also reiterated the need for commitment and rapid progress in the normalisation of relations between Kosovo and Serbia, adding that confidence must be built. He hoped to have a high-level dialogue by the summer. The EU also reiterated its position on the territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Neutrality is a false concept, says Mr Borrell
In addition to the issue of enlargement, the Ministers discussed the impact of the war in Ukraine on the Western Balkans region.
The EU27 welcomed the alignment of some of their partners with the EU sanctions against Russia and called on others to do the same. North Macedonia, Albania and Montenegro are fully aligned, while Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo have adopted some, and Serbia has not adopted any sanctions, despite having, like its neighbours, condemned the Russian aggression in the UN.
“For me and many colleagues, it is clear that maintaining close relations with Putin is not compatible with building a common future with the EU. Being neutral today, with regard to the war in Ukraine, is a false concept”, Mr Borrell warned. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)