Official Berlin gave green light to the EU negotiations for Albania and Northern Macedonia, and after the Bundestag’s OK, Germany seems convinced about the significance of this encouragement for both countries.
The statement issued by the German Foreign Minister, Heiko Mass, it seems that Germany expects the other countries to follow this line, when the EU Council comes up with a decision on October 17th.
France and the Netherlands remain the most skeptical countries. The French President, Emmanuel Macron, has made it clear that he is against any enlargement before the EU has made some consolidation efforts. The decision of Germany only increases pressure on him, so, it cannot be excluded that he changes his mind.
On the other hand, the Netherlands also has a resolution that rejects Albania’s EU accession. But the message of Maas is hopeful. “The decision of the Bundestag is a significant message for Albania and Northern Macedonia. It underlines the importance that the Western Balkans has for the EU. On the same time it shows that reforms are rewarded”.
Both countries must continue their efforts for reforms so that they can advance with their EU accession path.
“I am convinced that the conditioned approach proposed by the German Bundestag will convince the other EU members to agree for opening the EU accession negotiations”, is the message of the German Foreign Minister.
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