The Netherlands Says Albania Not Ready for EU Accession Talks, ‘Yes’ on North Macedonia

When there are a few days until the meeting of EU foreign ministers scheduled to be held on 10 November to discuss, among other things, the opening of talks with Albania and North Macedonia, the Dutch government has submitted a document on the issue to the European Council.
According to the document, the Dutch government supports the findings of the European Commission Progress Report on meeting the conditions for holding the first intergovernmental conference and the start of EU-Albania talks but demands that two key conditions, that is the functioning of the Constitutional Court and the media law,
be met beforehand.
“The government shares the Commission’s analysis that Albania has shown progress in various areas, but the Commission’s conclusion that almost all conditions have been met is premature,” stresses the document which has been made available to the media on Sunday.
The Netherlands seems decided that “only when the conditions set in the conclusions of the European Council of March 2020 are convincingly met can the first intergovernmental conference with Albania be held.”
In addition stress is placed on the fight against corruption, organized crime, and illegal immigration, according to the Dutch government which backs the opening of the talks with North Macedonia without any preconditions having not mentioned any remarks on the start of negotiations within this year. /argumentum.al