Merkel says Albania, North Macedonia should get green light for EU accession talks

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she would push for a start to EU accession talks for Albania and North Macedonia.
“Above all, we want to reach an agreement at the next EU Council in March to start accession negotiations with Albania, and also with North Macedonia,” she said after a meeting with Albania’s prime minister Edi Rama, and added that both countries have achieved a lot.
In October, France has opposed to the countries’ joining, saying that the EU needs to reform itself first. The Netherlands and Denmark were also skeptical about enlargement. Eventually, EU leaders failed to agree on inviting the two countries to start accession talks.
Merkel added that, because of their geopolitical advantages, their membership would be beneficial for the EU as well: “Anyone who looks at the map, who knows the geopolitical context, knows that it is good for everyone if the countries of the Western Balkans also become member states of the European Union one day”, she said.
“We will now work hard to achieve the desired results in March”, she concluded.