Enlargement of the European Union

North Macedonia's foreign minister called on the EU Tuesday (15 December) to end the "blackmail" of his country through the imposition by Bulgaria of fresh obstacles to its membership of the bloc.

However, Jutarnji list writes, there are still some states in favor of enlargement within the EU. Greece, Bulgaria and Slovenia are certainly among those. However, the three countries have something else in common, which qualifies them for proving the famous saying that "with such 'friends', we don't need enemies".

A meeting of EU countries' European affairs ministers on Tuesday once more failed to signal a green light for the much-awaited start of North Macedonia and Albania's EU membership negotiations.

The arbitration agreement was signed by the then prime ministers Borut Pahor and Jadranka Kosor in Stockholm on 4 November 2009 following almost two decades of failed border talks.

The European Movement of Serbia says that grouping the existing chapters into six clusters is inapplicable from the point of view of Serbia.

Heads of State or Government of the EU and the Western Balkans will hold a video meeting to discuss the spread of Covid-19 and misinformation. The meeting is not set to set a date for the start of accession talks with Northern Macedonia and Albania, as it was originally intended, if the meeting had taken place in Zagreb.

Prime Minister Ludovic Orban says in a message sent on the occasion of the 15th anniversary since the signing of the Accession Treaty to the European Union, that we celebrate this moment "with the same confidence in the choice Romanians made and the same determination to keep our compass." "Romania celebrates today 15 years since the return to its big family of European democracies was consecra

Turkey on March 27 congratulated North Macedonia and Albania for opening accession talks with the European Union.

"We congratulate our friends and Allies North Macedonia and Albania on the start of their EU accession negotiations and the EU," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

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Roma Face Brunt of Western Balkans Demographic Crisis

However, one fundamental failure looks set to be repeated: a blatant refusal to consider the situation facing the Roma minority in the Western Balkans and how Roma people themselves could benefit from a new approach to EU enlargement.

Albania and North Macedonia have "stepped up their work and delivered further tangible and sustainable results in the key areas," since June 2018 the revised European Commission progress reports published on Monday said.