Stabilisation and Association Process

The latest discussions about territorial reorganization in the Balkans have shaken the region, once again underlining its deep ethnic and political divisions and unresolved tensions.

After a long lean spell in terms of EU enlargement, now is the moment to act and put the whole range of EU policies applicable to the region back on the agenda.

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.

Turkey on March 27 congratulated North Macedonia and Albania for opening accession talks with the European Union.

"We congratulate our friends and Allies North Macedonia and Albania on the start of their EU accession negotiations and the EU," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Tellingly, the new strategy was put together without consultation on the ground in the Balkans, which would have given it a better understanding of local realities.

The head of the European Parliament says there is still hope for Balkan countries to join the European Union, and urged for membership talks to open soon with North Macedonia and Albania.

The European Parliament has adopted, by a large majority, a resolution in support of the opening of negotiations with Northern Macedonia and Albania for EU accession.

The European Union commissioner for enlargement, Johannes Hahn, on Thursday lamented last week's decision not to open accession talks with North Macedonia and Albania as "a matter of deep disappointment."

In opening remarks at the European Parliament plenary debate on opening the accession talks, Hahn said that EU leaders have "failed to live up to their commitment."

Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said on Saturday that "swift snap elections" should be held "as soon as possible" after France refused to give up its opposition to giving North Macedonia a start date for EU membership talks.

EU leaders meeting in Brussels on Friday failed to persuade France to allow a hoped-for start to accession talks for North Macedonia and Albania - and also failed to agree on a written conclusion, which, in the absence of a date for EU talks, would have sent a positive message to Skopje and Tirana about their further engagement in the process.