Albania could seek decoupling from North Macedonia and push for solo EU membership, according to Prime Minister Edi Rama.
Albania’s bid to join the bloc has been linked to its neighbour, North Macedonia. While both countries have, on paper, satisfied requirements, Bulgaria has vetoed the latter over historical and human rights issues.
“Albania cannot wait any longer for the two neighbours to resolve their quarrel. Our course in that direction will fully change,” Rama said on Thursday in Tirana.
Meanwhile, the feeling in Brussels is that enlargement is dead and that Albania only got a unanimous vote to continue accession because they knew the Bulgarian veto against North Macedonia would stop progress in its tracks.
However, other sources say that following Ukraine’s bid to join the EU, Albania and North Macedonia will get the green light in June. An opinion on the accession of Ukraine, including whether the process can be sped up, is expected during the same month. Sources say that a positive assessment for Ukraine could not be on the table unless Albania and North Macedonia progress.
Out of the Western Balkan six, Serbia and Montenegro are in the lead. But Montenegro’s accession process has stagnated somewhat, and while Serbia continues opening chapters, there is no real political will to join the EU. Albania and North Macedonia are next, waiting to formally start talks, while Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina are yet to get candidate status.
