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The European Parliament voted with 519 votes in favor of Albania’s resolution on the road to EU integration.
A total of 599 members participated, where 52 voted against and 28 abstained. MEPs demand that the EU start membership talks with Albania and northern Macedonia.
Parliament urges the Council to open EU membership negotiations with Albania and northern Macedonia, especially in the geostrategic context of the war in Ukraine.
“Failure to act could have historically significant security implications for Europe’s stability. Both countries have met the conditions and given consistent results. “Bulgaria and Northern Macedonia are encouraged to resolve pending bilateral issues quickly.” according to the published document.
In two reports adopted Thursday assessing the progress of Albania and northern Macedonia on the road to EU membership, Parliament urges the Council to formally launch membership negotiations with the two countries, noting the geostrategic context of relations with Russia. and its aggression against Ukraine.
MEPs call on the EU to critically assess the historically significant security implications of such a decision for stability and unity on the European continent and in the Western Balkans.
Although both countries have met the conditions set by the European Council and have yielded consistent results, the Council has failed to open membership negotiations with them, MEPs say.
This has undermined the public attitude towards the EU and is a serious risk to enlargement policy as a whole, the report said.
MEPs also encourage Bulgaria and Northern Macedonia to resolve their cultural-historical dispute separately from the Northern Macedonia accession process.
Albania is a reliable and committed strategic partner
MEPs appreciate Albania’s strategic orientation and unwavering commitment to European integration and express their clear support for the country’s democratic transformation and aspiration for EU membership.
They urge Albania to continue and intensify its efforts to make the judiciary more efficient, to strengthen democracy, the rule of law and the economy. It must also empower civil society, fight corruption and organized crime, ensure media freedom, and guarantee the protection of minority rights, including the LGBTQI community.
EP Rapporteur for Albania Isabel Santos (S&D, PT) said: Albania remains a fully reliable and committed strategic partner. It continues to move forward with fundamental EU reforms and is meeting and maintaining the conditions for starting accession talks. “It is right that the Council finally agrees to open the delayed negotiations with Albania, not least in the face of growing geostrategic challenges.”
The report was approved by 519 votes in favor, 52 against and 28 abstentions.
Northern Macedonia – The best record of democratic transition in the entire Western Balkans region
Parliament commends Northern Macedonia’s ongoing efforts to strengthen the rule of law, the independence of the judiciary and minority rights, fight corruption and organized crime, reform its public administration and consolidate media freedom. The report also notes the risks of growing economic and energy dependence on China and Russia, and warns that dependence on China-financed investment loans increases the region’s vulnerability.
Rapporteur Ilhan Kyuchyuk (Rinovo, BG) said: Northern Macedonia has demonstrated the best record of democratic transition in the entire Western Balkans region and is fully in line with EU foreign policy in the face of Russian aggression against Ukraine. Given the broader geostrategic context and that the country has yielded consistent results, we call for the delayed accession negotiations to formally begin. I welcome the positive commitment to resolving the outstanding bilateral issues and call on Bulgaria and Northern Macedonia to immediately find a mutually acceptable solution.
The report was approved by 508 votes in favor, 56 against and 35 abstentions.
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