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EU: Macron more flexible on Albania and Macedonia

2020-02-15T13:53:41.802Z



French Head of State Emmanuel Macron said he was ready this Saturday, February 15 to lift his country's opposition to the opening of EU accession negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia under condition.

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" We are all awaiting a report from the European Commission in March on the two countries, " the president said at the annual Munich security conference. " We have to see what the Commission is going to say about the state of the expected progress ", he added and, " depending on that (...) if the results are positive and confidence is established, we then we have to be able to open negotiations ”.

Emmanuel Macron however refused the idea of ​​a purely French blocking in this affair. " I salute the great courage which consists in hiding behind France when there is a disagreement but I can tell you that several states were against the opening of negotiations with Macedonia and Albania, " he said. .

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The subject has been blocked for several weeks, which causes both the irritation of the two countries concerned in the Balkans but also the irritation of European partners of France, like Germany, favorable to the enlargement of the European Union in the Balkans.

The European Commission recently submitted a stricter and reversible EU accession procedure to meet the conditions set by France regarding these two countries, before a summit on the Balkans in May.

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And Paris is also awaiting a report on the reality of the reforms requested from these countries. The subject is to be discussed by the 27 EU countries on February 25 during a meeting of EU EU ministers in Brussels. The proposal does not change the rules for membership. But it will be based on merit and subject to conditions.

In addition to North Macedonia and Albania, four other countries in the Western Balkans - Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro and Serbia - aspire to join the EU.

Source: lefigaro

All news articles on 2020-02-15

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