Tag: enlargement
News Macedonia 22.05.23 | 22:34

Geer: We are at a specific moment in history, when the EU enlargement is a priority

We are at a special moment in history when the process of enlargement is set as a top priority of the EU agenda, which means that things could move very fast. This country can grab the opportunity, the momentum so it could move forward, and the next step is amending the Constitution, the Chief of the...

Balkans 24.01.23 | 19:47

EU Commissioner Varhelyi declares that enlargement is back on Europe’s agenda

At a conference in Trieste, EU Enlargement Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi declared that the Union is again making enlargement one of its three key priorities. According to Varhelyi, this is due to the war in Ukraine and the growing crisis, that persuaded the EU that it is time to give more assurances to...

Macedonia 07.03.22 | 11:19

Macedonia out of view as new potential EU members step up

Recent statements from France and Germany indicates that the European integration is shifting focus toward the east, to Ukraine, as well as to Serbia, and older candidates like Macedonia are dropping out of view. Ukraine’s request for urgent EU membership was received with a very warm welcome in...

Macedonia 27.01.22 | 13:36

Pendarovski: Macedonia risks approaching the Turkish record of years spent waiting to open its EU accession talks

President Stevo Pendarovski warned that Macedonia risks approaching the Turkish record for most years spent fruitlessly waiting to open its EU accession talks. In a diplomatic round table, Pendarovski pointed out that Macedonia has been waiting to open its EU accession talks for 17 years, since it became...

Macedonia 14.12.21 | 09:48

EU ministers begin the European Council, with Bulgaria expected to veto Macedonia again

Foreign Ministers of the EU member states are meeting today at the start of the European Council, in a meeting where it is expected that they will again block the opening of EU accession talks with Macedonia. Bulgaria is vetoing the accession talks as it demands major new concessions from Macedonia in...

Macedonia 09.12.21 | 22:34

Macron denies Macedonia any hope for an accession date in December – he will push for a Balkan summit in June instead

French President Emmanuel Macron, who takes over the rotating Presidency of the European Council, announced that he will convene a summit on the Western Balkan countries in June. This indicates that there is little hope that Macedonia will be allowed to open EU accession talks in December, as the Zaev...

Macedonia 06.12.21 | 21:06

Commissioner Varhelyi warns that the delays in the EU accession of Macedonia and Albania affect trust in the EU

European Enlargement Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi warned that the delays in EU integration of Macedonia and Albania are influencing trust in the EU in the Western Balkan region. Varhelyi spoke virtually at the Sofia Forum for the Western Balkans – the event was held in Bulgaria, the country that...

Balkans 06.10.21 | 18:31

Michel: There is a debate within the EU on its capacity to accept new member states

EU leaders reiterated on Wednesday that Western Balkan countries belonged in the EU and that they understood their frustration with the slow enlargement, but again failed to give a time frame for their accession. European Council President Charles Michel said the EU’s presence must be more tangible...

Macedonia 05.10.21 | 13:40

No date for the Western Balkans, says the draft conclusion of the EU summit

Croatian media say they have received insight into the draft conclusion of the EU summit on Western Balkans, which begins in Slovenia. One of the questions at the summit, of course, is whether the countries of the Western Balkans have a chance to join the Union at all, which has been widely reported...

Macedonia 28.09.21 | 20:31

Reuters: EU is withdrawing the enlargement guarantee it gave to the Balkan states

Reuters reports that promise of EU membership is no longer a guarantee for the remaining six Balkan countries that are not yet members – a group that includes Macedonia which recently went through an imposed name change precisely to achieve this goal. The news agency quotes diplomats from EU countries...

Macedonia 22.06.21 | 23:12

Szijjarto: EU risks losing the Balkans if it doesn’t open accession talks with Macedonia and Albania soon

Hungarian Foreign Affairs Minister Peter Szijjarto warned that Europe risks losing the Balkan countries unless it allows the opening of EU accession talks soon. The warning comes as the ministers in the European Council again failed to reach agreement to allow Macedonia and Albania to open accession...

Macedonia 10.06.21 | 17:10

Varhelyi: This could be the year of the Western Balkans

European Enlargement Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi said that June is a key month for the Balkan countries that are hoping to join the EU, and want to restart or begin their EU accession talks. the European Council meets at the end of June and Macedonia hopes to finally open the accession talks but so...

Macedonia 08.06.21 | 17:05

German Minister Maas calls for opening of EU accession talks with Macedonia and Albania

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said that the EU needs to allow Macedonia and Albania to open their accession talks. According to Maas, the future of the six Balkan countries that are asking for EU membership depends on this and Germany is fully dedicated to the idea. If they deliver, we deliver....

Macedonia 20.05.21 | 11:45

German Ambassador Holstein strongly condemns Bulgaria for its veto against Macedonia

German Ambassador to Macedonia Anke Holstein strongly condemned Bulgaria for blocking Macedonia’s accession talks prospects. She said that “one country is holding 26 EU member states hostage and is harming the credibility of the entire European Union when it comes to enlargement”. During...

Macedonia 05.05.21 | 10:28

EU enlargement: Growing possibility of Albania advancing while Macedonia remains stuck

Macedonia now faces a clear prospect of being left out in the EU accession process, while Albania, with which it is in a de-facto group, advances this summer. During his visit yesterday, EU Enlargement Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi announced that the Commission is working on the issue, but it’s...

Macedonia 14.04.21 | 19:05

EU member states decided not to discuss Balkan enlargement at the coming European Council

EU member states decided not to discuss Balkan enlargement during their upcoming European Council meeting on April 19th, the MIA news agency reported. The Zaev regime was hoping to have the issue of enlargement on the agenda, hoping to put some additional pressure on Bulgaria, which is blocking the opening...

Balkans 25.02.21 | 10:13

V4: Left could hinder Serbia’s accession talks

The European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) adopted the 2019 and 2020 reports on Serbia at its session on Wednesday. The report was awaited with heightened interest, because the European Parliament last approved a document on the Western Balkan country in 2018. Unfortunately,...

Macedonia 16.12.20 | 16:03

Bulgaria agreed to unblock one set of EU conclusions on enlargement

Radio Free Europe reports that a compromise has been reached on the dispute between Macedonia and Bulgaria and that Bulgaria will allow the adoption of the annual enlargement reports. Details are still sketchy and it’s unclear whether this means that Bulgaria will allow Macedonia to actually open EU...

Macedonia 11.11.20 | 11:37

FAZ: No enlargement if settlement of historical disputes becomes precondition for EU accession negotiations

Bulgaria’s insistence on controversial historical issues as a condition for Macedonia’s EU integration could jeopardize the entire EU enlargement policy, writes the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. In this part of Europe where historical disputes are overestimated, the EU’s...

Macedonia 07.10.20 | 10:09

EU Enlargement Commissioner Varhelyi visits Macedonia

EU Enlargement Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi visits Macedonia today to discuss the progress report that was published yesterday, as well as two planned investment programs for the Western Balkans. Most importantly, Macedonia is hoping that the report will solidify the recommendation to open EU accession...

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