After the “yes” of the Netherlands, two other countries confirm the yes for Albania. The Netherlands has officially consolidated the positive assessment of the fulfillment of the conditionality for the official opening of the membership negotiations with Albania with the support of the Dutch Parliament. Yes she is not alone.
ABC has learned from official Danish sources that the Danish Parliament has not become an obstacle to the positive decision of the Danish government regarding the official opening of membership negotiations with Albania.
Danish sources have told ABC that the Danish Parliament has not opposed the Danish government’s decision to give the green light to hold the first intergovernmental conference with Albania. In this decision, the Danish government supports the European Commission report presented on May 12 to the Council of Ministers of the European Union, assessing that Albania has made sufficient progress to hold the first EU-Albania intergovernmental conference.
Also, official Spanish sources have made known to ABC the official position of Spain. Spain supports the European Commission’s May 12 report, according to which the conditions for holding the first EU-Albania intergovernmental conference have been met.
According to these sources, Spain considers that Albania and Northern Macedonia have made progress on integration reforms and deserves to set a date for holding the first intergovernmental conference as soon as possible (June 22nd). Spain opposes the partition of Northern Macedonia from Albania, as do many other European Union countries.
Spanish official sources have explained to ABC that according to the procedures of the Spanish government, the Spanish Parliament is notified of the official decision of the Spanish government regarding the holding of the first intergovernmental conference with Albania, but has no specific and preliminary mandate to make this decision.
Even if unanimity is reached regarding the positive assessment for Albania, the issue of approving the negotiating framework with Albania and Northern Macedonia is currently pending by Bulgaria due to its veto imposed on Northern Macedonia. This veto concerns the claims of the Bulgarian authorities on the issue of language and history regarding Northern Macedonia. Without the approval of the negotiating framework, a date for the holding of the First Intergovernmental Conference cannot be set.
Consequently, the June 22 meeting, as previously announced by ABC, is not expected to produce a decision regarding the holding of the first intergovernmental conference. This is more likely to happen during the Slovenian presidency, which takes over the presidency of the European Union from July 1 to December 31, 2021. /abcnews.al
