The Dutch Parliament voted yesterday on several EU enlargement proposals, during which it left the door open for the country to allow Macedonia to open its accession talks.

A proposals was made that the Government blocks Macedonia from opening accession talks, and it was defeated in the Parliament. Also defeated were proposals to never allow Macedonia or Albania to open EU accession talks. A resolution to temporarily block Albania from accession talks was approved.

The Netherlands is one of the countries that are most opposed to enlarging the Union and which has laid out strict conditions for future prospective members from the Balkans. The resolution does not call on the Foreign Ministry to open accession talks with Macedonia, but allows Minister Stef Blok to do so if it’s politically feasible.