European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told reporters shortly after the European Parliament’s election of the composition of the Commission that Macedonia and Albania deserved to start EU negotiations, MIA’s correspondent reported.

I am fully convinced that it is in our strategic interest to join the Western Balkan countries to the European Union. North Macedonia and Albania deserve to start negotiations. We asked a lot from these countries. Now everyone in the EU Council should be convinced, the EC president said.

According to her, it is legitimate for the Council to raise the issue of the enlargement process, and that the new rules should not apply to the two countries.

I welcome the fact that enlargement procedures are on the table. It is the Council’s right. But for these two countries, which we have urged to deeply reform and transform, they deserve to not change the rules we have given them before, said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.