Oliver Varhelyi

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.

The European Union could open accession talks with Albania and North Macedonia within weeks as both countries have made good progress in their preparations, the European Commission's enlargement chief, Oliver Varhelyi, said on Thursday.

North Macedonia and Albania can deliver on the reforms required to join the European Union, the EU enlargement commissioner said on Tuesday, in the latest sign that the Balkan neighbors are set to overcome France's freeze on their aspirations.

Whatever happened to principles?

Oliver Varhelyi in Brussels, Belgium, 2020. Photo: EPA-EFE/OLIVIER HOSLET

The inability, or unwillingness, of the EU to confront local leaders in the Balkans has led some to farcical situations. Nothing can better showcase this lack of consistency than the issue of respect for the rule of law among aspiring EU members.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said that he likes the new EU enlargement methodology, presented on Wednesday in Brussels, but that Serbia will study it before deciding whether to accept it, or to continue its accession negotiations in line with the current framework.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu has written a letter to officials in Europe on the European Union's new enlargement policy.

The letter was sent to EU high representative Josep Borrell, Oliver Varhelyi, commissioner for European neighborhood policy and enlargement negotiations, and Gordan Grlic-Radman, Croatia's minister of foreign and European affairs.

The European Union's top enlargement official on Wednesday held out new hope that the block will start accession talks within months with North Macedonia and Albania, whose bids were frustrated last year.

Prime Minister Ludovic Orban continues his three-day visit to Brussels on Wednesday. Prime Minister Ludovic Orban is meeting on Wednesday with European Parliament President David Sassoli and afterwards the two officials are to hold a joint press conference.

Prime Minister Ludovic Orban is paying a working visit to Brussels, Tuesday through Thursday, and will meet European and NATO officials.

Prime Minister Ludovic Orban will be paying a working visit to Brussels, Tuesday through Thursday, and will meet European and NATO officials, according to a Government release.