TIRANA (Albania), October 24 (SeeNews) – The European Parliament urged the EU member states take a unanimous positive decision to open accession negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia at the next meeting of the European Council, the parliament said on Thursday.
“Parliament expresses deep disappointment over the failure to agree on opening EU accession talks with Albania and North Macedonia at the EU summit on 17-18 October,” it said in a press release, after adopting a resolution stressing that both countries meet the requirements to start negotiations.
“MEPs regret the move by France, Denmark and the Netherlands to block the decision and say that Albania and North Macedonia have made considerable efforts over the last few years and meet the EU’s criteria to start membership talks,” the European Parliament said, adding that the “non-decision” by EU leaders is a strategic mistake, which damages the EU’s credibility and sends a negative message to other possible candidate countries.
The MEPs praised North Macedonia’s efforts to settle difficult bilateral issues with its neighbouring countries, as well as welcomed recent judiciary reforms in Albania.
“A reform of the enlargement process, advocated by some countries, should not hinder Albania and North Macedonia, which already meet the requirements to be assessed on their own merits and objective criteria, and not judged by domestic political agendas in other countries,” the parliament noted.
The European Council has said it will revert to the issue before the EU-Western Balkans summit in Zagreb in May.
The European Council granted the status of candidate country for EU membership to Albania in 2014 and to North Macedonia in 2005.