Macron dims EU membership hopes of Balkan countries

Macron said that he favors a closer relation between Europe and Western Balkan, but enlarging the Union with other countries is something the member countries should be more prudent about.

“Macron’s comments come as a particular disappointment to Albania and Macedonia, which are hoping for the green light  from EU leaders next month to begin talks to join the bloc, having received the thumbs-up from the European Commission in April”, Politico says.

The website quotes Macron: “What we’ve seen over the past 15 years is a path that has weakened Europe every time we think of enlarging it. And I don’t think we do a service to the candidate countries or ourselves by having a mechanism that in a way no longer has rules and keeps moving toward more enlargement. I am in favor of anchoring the Balkans in Europe and moving toward Europe. But I think we need to look at any new enlargement with a lot of prudence and rigor,” Macron said.

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