Enlargement of the European Union

"I will come to Sofia as often as necessary in order to reach a decision (lifting the Bulgarian veto on North Macedonia's membership in the EU) by the end of June, we have no time, the war has shown us how important the European integration is."

In its first year, the new government has fulfilled only of a few of the bold pledges it made about promoting reforms, political dialogue and progress on EU accession.

A failed attempt to topple the government has given it a fresh boost - but its long-term survival depends on success in delivering a start to EU accession talks.

The European Commission's annual progress reports for six Western Balkan countries who hope to become EU members - plus Turkey - were published on Tuesday, assessing their achievements and shortcomings noted during the period between June 2020 and June 2021.

North Macedonia 'makes progress in key areas'

As EU leaders gather for a summit on Wednesday on how to keep engaging with their Western Balkans neighbors, the bloc's once-successful enlargement policy faces an impasse, AP reported.

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz pointed out today, before the EU-Western Balkans Summit on Brdo near Kranj, that the Western Balkans need a true and sincere European perspective.

he future of the countries of the Western Balkans towards EU accession was the main focus of the 4th EPP Group Conference on the Western Balkans. The conference emphasised the progress and challenges of the accession procedure.

Brdo pri Kranju – Parliamentary Speaker Igor Zorčič hosted a meeting of parliamentary speakers from the Western Balkans on Monday, saying that the EU must give the region a clear signal on when it could expect EU accession. The speakers of the Serbian and Montenegrin parliaments also called for more clarity regarding the EU enlargement.

As it is stated, that is the strategic interest of both sides.
European Commissioner for Enlargement Oliver Vrhelyi pointed out that the issue of enlargement is not only the geographical enlargement of the EU, but it is about ensuring political, economic and even security integration.

The leaders of Serbia, Albania and North Macedonia have criticized Brussels for its slow EU enlargement, promising to continue with its own travel zone and business zone while waiting for the bloc to receive them.
"We know that there is fatigue from EU enlargement," Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said in an interview.