The European Union (EU) opened long-stalled accession negotiations with North Macedonia on Tuesday. Talks with the government of Albania followed on the same day. However, it could be years before the two countries actually join the EU.
Accession negotiations were originally set to start in 2020. However, the EU country Bulgaria got into a fight with North Macedonia over the interpretation of the partly shared history and rights of ethnic Bulgarians in North Macedonia. It was only last Sunday that both sides signed a protocol to end their dispute.
National law under investigation
Now a so-called Intergovernmental Conference has begun. The negotiating framework must be presented to the Balkan countries, which in turn is a precondition for the European Commission to start the “screenings”. In concrete terms, the body examines to what extent the national law of the candidate country deviates from EU law and whether and which adjustments are necessary. “We will start very soon,” European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said on Tuesday. Regarding the start of the negotiations, she also spoke of a “historic moment” and a success for the government and the people.
After the “screening”, the European Commission can recommend that Albania and North Macedonia open so-called negotiating chapters. However, in order to implement them, the unanimous approval of the EU countries is again required. The accession process can take many years.
Edtstadler: ‘Important moment for both parties’
In Austria, European Minister Karoline Edtstadler (ÖVP) and the Chair of the Delegation of North Macedonia to the EU Parliament, Andreas Schieder (SPÖ), commented on the start of accession negotiations. It is an “important moment for the two countries, for the entire Western Balkans and for the EU,” Edtstadler said. She suggested that progress should be made, especially in times of war and crisis. Schieder added that the empty promises that the Western Balkan countries would join once they met the criteria had left a strong impression.
Further accession talks are currently underway with Montenegro (since 2012) and Serbia (since 2014). Ukraine and Moldova have been candidate countries since June (see chart above).
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
