Minister of Foreign Affairs Olta Xhaçka said that Albania and Northern Macedonia have met the conditions for the first intergovernmental conference.
She met with her Macedonian counterpart, Bujar Osmani, on Friday .
At a press conference, the Minister praised “the determination of the Prime Minister of Northern Macedonia Zoran Zaev”.
She said “it would be unfortunate” if no intergovernmental conferences were held.
The Minister of Northern Macedonia said that for both countries there is no alternative but EU membership.
“Relations between the two countries have crossed the threshold of good neighborliness and this friendship is beyond the interests of both countries and one of the pillars for the security and stability of the region,” he said.
The European Council decided in March to open negotiations with Albania and Northern Macedonia in principle, but the opening of chapters on membership in practice begins after the first intergovernmental conference.
It is a matter of controversy and discussion as to whether Albania has in actual fact met the 15 conditions. Most recently, MEP Michael Gahler said that the country has not satisfied some conditions such as the “anti-defamation package”, the prosecution of government officials for vote-rigging, corruption, and money laundering, and establishing whether the June 30 local elections were constitutional.
The decision to set a date for the first intergovernmental conference for Albania remains with the European Council, which in the past has twice rejected the Commission’s recommendation to open negotiations.
