Germany’s chancellor attempts to open up North Macedonia’s EU bid & More News Here

SKOPJE, North Macedonia (AP) — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited North Macedonia and Bulgaria on Saturday in a bid to resolve the dispute between each international locations that has seen European Union membership talks with each North Macedonia and Albania blocked.

Bulgaria refuses to approve the EU’s membership negotiation framework for North Macedonia, successfully blocking the official begin of accession talks with its smaller Balkan neighbor.

Scholz mentioned that “the Western Balkans are of strategic importance” for Germany and that his nation is “serious” in supporting European integration of the area.

“North Macedonia and Albania deserve to start the membership talks,” Scholz mentioned at joint information convention with North Macedonia Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski within the capital, Skopje.

READ MORE: EU greenlights membership talks for Albania and N. Macedonia

Bulgaria insists North Macedonia should formally acknowledge that its language has Bulgarian roots, to point out a Bulgarian minority in its structure and to stamp out allegedly anti-Bulgarian rhetoric. North Macedonia says its id and language aren’t open for dialogue and that the answer should be based mostly on European values.

Kovachevski mentioned that North Macedonia has fulfilled all standards to begin membership talks with the EU, based mostly on a “merit system,” and once more referred to as on EU leaders to give the inexperienced mild for opening talks on the forthcoming EU summit on June 23.

“North Macedonia and Albania cannot be hostages in this process because of the only one EU member state blocking,” Kovachevski mentioned.

Scholz left Skopje and traveled to Bulgaria’s capital the place he reiterated that he strongly helps the beginning of EU accession talks with North Macedonia and Albania.

Scholz — talking to reporters in Sofia, the ultimate cease of his two-day tour to the area — voiced optimism that progress can be made earlier than the shut of France’s EU presidency on June 30.

The German chancellor mentioned the conflict in Ukraine and the discount of power dependence on Russia with Bulgarian officers.

“I am convinced that we together, as Europeans, are responsible for the EU and for the stability of the Balkans. It is important that we use the enlargement process now, for the benefit of Europe,” he mentioned.

Scholz mentioned that North Macedonia wants a stable European perspective and added that it wasn’t simple to overcome the variations between the 2 Balkan neighbors.

“Our historical experience shows, however, that it is enriching for all countries when mistrust is overcome and friendly relations are built with neighbors,” he mentioned.

“It’s very important to bring a new dynamic into this process,” Scholz mentioned after talks with Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov and added that North Macedonia should meet sure situations to kick-start the method.

“I will advocate that the next steps happen,” Scholz mentioned.

READ MORE: EU and Russia vie for affect in risky Balkans area

“Bulgaria has three main priorities, about which the EU must be part of the guarantees, so that we can move forward — through the European process, to ensure the inclusion of Bulgarians in the constitution of North Macedonia,” Petkov mentioned.

“At the same time, we have a framework position and a good-neighborliness agreement. So, each decision must include these three priorities,” he mentioned and added that the EU can present potential alternatives to have European ensures that this can occur.

North Macedonia utilized for EU membership in 2004 and acquired a optimistic evaluation from the European Commission a 12 months later.

EU leaders agreed to formal accession talks with Albania and North Macedonia after Skopje settled in 2018 an almost three decade-long dispute with neighboring Greece over the nation’s identify, which noticed it renamed North Macedonia.

Western Balkan international locations are at completely different levels of EU membership talks. Serbia and Montenegro have already began negotiating some chapters of their membership agreements. Kosovo and Bosnia have signed a Stabilization and Association Agreement, step one towards membership.

Veselin Toshkov reported from Sofia, Bulgaria.

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