Enlargement of the European Union

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bogdan Aurescu, who was on an official visit to Ljubljana on Friday, had consultations with his Slovenian counterpart, Anze Logar, on which occasion he highlighted the need for solidarity and unity within the European Union.

Montenegro's chief negotiator in EU accession talks say the country aims to be ready to join by 2025. The rest will depend on the "political will" of the bloc's 27 members

Ljubljana – Foreign Ministry State Secretary Gašper Dovžan took part in what is considered the launch of the Conference on the Future of Europe, as the conference executive board held a constitutive meeting on Wednesday.

The French and Enlargement

French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, 2021. Photo: EPA-EFE/FRANCOIS MORI / POOL MAXPPP OUT

In the 2019 Eurobarometer, only a third of French respondents - 32 per cent - approved of enlargement, while 58 per cent were against. This was comparable to opinion in Germany or Austria, where 57 per cent were also opposed - but despite that, the governments of these countries strongly favour EU membership for the Western Balkans.

Bulgaria on Friday reacted with annoyance after Czechia and Slovakia on Thursday blocked EU moves to meet its demands concerning North Macedonia's start of EU accesion talks.

The MIA news agency reports that Slovakia and the Czech Republic had objections to the conclusions of the European Council on enlargement, and spoke out in support of Macedonia which is being blocked by Bulgaria.

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.