Enlargement of the European Union

BELGRADE - Ahead of Monday's meeting of Brdo-Brijuni Process leaders in Skopje, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said Serbia, as always, remained consistent in its sincere advocacy of creating an atmosphere of mutual trust, understanding and respect.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia, Tanja Fajon, assessed that the countries of the Western Balkans should "at full speed" take advantage of the opportunity related to EU enlargement.

A special clause in the countries' accession treaties to the European Union can ensure that they cannot block other applicants immediately after entry.

This was stated by the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, at the Strategic Forum in Bled, which gathered heads of state and government from the Western Balkans and other countries, including Bulgaria and Greece.

At its last meeting in Strasbourg before the summer vacation, the European Parliament will vote, at the beginning of July, on a new call for the admission of Bulgaria and Romania to Schengen. This was decided today by the parliamentary committee on petitions, BTA reported.

"The priorities of the new government are Bulgaria's accession to Schengen and the Eurozone". This was announced by the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Maryia Gabriel after a meeting with the ambassadors of EU countries, which took place in the Boyana residence.

In connection with the statement of the Prime Minister of North Macedonia before the Council of Europe, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria emphasizes that it is unacceptable that the statement of concern for the fundamental rights of a given community is used as a pretext for unfounded and caustic attacks on a member state of The European Union.

BELGRADE - Serbian PM Ana Brnabic met with representatives of the Council of the EU Working Party on Enlargement and Countries Negotiating Accession to the EU (COELA) on Thursday.

DUBLIN - Serbian PM Ana Brnabic met on Friday in Dublin with the chairman of the Republic of Ireland's parliamentary committee on European Union affairs Colm Brophy, noting that Serbia naturally belonged in the European family of nations and that the entire Western Balkans belonged there as well.

BRUSSELS - European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Tuesday normalisation of Belgrade-Pristina relations was of great significance and that she hoped both sides would seize the moment in the dialogue and be constructive in upcoming discussions.

During a recent visit to Brussels by a diverse group of civil society organisations from Kosovo and Serbia, a consistent and surprising message was heard from various interlocutors - that there is a renewed and buoyant sense of momentum behind the European Union enlargement process.