Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Israeli media platform: The Degel HaTorah party, which has four members in the Knesset, announces its withdrawal from Netanyahu's cabinet.
Local Syrian sources: The raids targeted the road between the village of Al-Mazra'a and the city of Sweida, where forces and factions affiliated with the Syrian Ministry of Defense are advancing.
Local Syrian sources: New raids carried out by Israeli warplanes targeted vehicles and gatherings of military factions affiliated with the new Syrian Ministry of Defense.
Local Syrian sources: Israeli raids target, for the third time, gatherings of Syrian Defense Forces military factions in the southern countryside of Sweida.
The Ministry of Health in Gaza: Gaza Strip hospitals received 120 martyrs and 557 wounded in the past 24 hours.
The Israeli Walla! website: We are running out of stockpiles, our forces are exhausted, and the lives of the captives are in danger. It is time for a ceasefire deal in Gaza.
Several wounded in an Israeli bombardment of a tent in al-Mawasi, south of Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip.
Israeli media: Three wounded, three killed in an ongoing operation in the Gaza Strip.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in southern Lebanon: Israeli artillery shelling targets the outskirts of the town of Shebaa
Al-Qassam Brigades: The targeting took place at the intersection of 'Street 5' with the western line north of Khan Younis

EU to open accession talks for N. Macedonia, Albania

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 18 Jul 2022 23:35
3 Min Read

Concessions, done with French pressure amid the war in Ukraine, have landed the two countries into the possibility of accession.

  • x
  • The EU, Albanian, and North Macedonian flags.
    The EU, Albanian, and North Macedonian flags.

On Monday, all 27 European Union member states agreed to launch talks with Albania and North Macedonia after Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia, resolved disputes with its neighbor, Bulgaria. 
 
According to Czech Republic's Prime Minister Petr Fiala, the EU member states have "just agreed to open accession talks with Albania and North Macedonia!"

"We have taken another important step towards bringing the Western Balkans closer to the EU," Fiala added after a meeting was approved for EU envoys to meet in Brussels. 

Edi Rama, the Albanian prime minister, along with his Macedonian counterpart Dimitar Kovacevski, are expected to be in Brussels on Tuesday to formally start the accession talks, which will take years.

On Sunday, the two countries signed a French proposal that would ascend the Macedonian language as an official language of the European Union, in addition to other guarantees. 

In recent times, Sofia blocked any initiatives for accession due to a dispute between the countries regarding linguistic and historical issues. 

Albania's bid to become a member of the EU was also delayed due to arguments that both countries step forward together at the same time.

Related News

North Macedonia mourns 50+ killed in nightclub fire

59 dead in Kočani club fire, arrest warrant issue for four suspects

France pressured Bulgaria to lift its veto in exchange for EU guarantees that N. Macedonia will meet certain demands on a number of controversial issues.

Read more: N. Macedonia approves compromise for EU membership talks: PM

Around 20 years ago, North Macedonia was designated as a candidate for EU membership, making concessions with Greece in order to join NATO in 2020. Albania, on the other hand, became a candidate for the EU in 2014.

The Balkans skyrocketed in strategic importance when the war in Ukraine started. 

Last month, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and the presidents of North Macedonia and Serbia threatened to skip the EU summit in protest of the lack of progress. 

The Balkan leaders were highly dissatisfied with their delayed EU ambitions, with Bulgaria preventing discussions with Albania and North Macedonia over a dispute with Skopje.

“It’s a disgrace that a NATO country, Bulgaria, kidnaps two other Nato countries, namely, Albania and North Macedonia, in the midst of hot war in Europe’s backyard with 26 other countries sitting still in a scary show of impotence,” Rama explained.

  • North Macedonia
  • Albania
  • European Union
  • Bulgaria
  • Czech Republic

Most Read

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Major ambush in Gaza kills 6 Israeli troops, injures dozens

Major ambush in Gaza kills 5 Israeli troops, injures 14

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Israeli soldiers are seen in Beit Hanoun ahead of an operation by the al-Qassam Brigades, undated (Al-Qassam Brigades Military Media)

'Israel' on blast as media exposes report discrepancies in Gaza ambush

  • Palestine
  • 8 Jul 2025
Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

  • Politics
  • 9 Jul 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
The Freedom Flotilla ship Handala as it departs for Gaza, where it aims to break the maritime blockade at a port in Syracuse, Sicily in southern Italy on July 13, 2025. (AFP)
Palestine

Freedom Flotilla's Handala departs Sicily in bid to break Gaza siege

The container ship CMA CGM Laperouse, left, docks at the Georgia Ports Authority's Port of Savannah, Sept. 29, 2021, in Savannah, Ga (AP)
Politics

US shipbuilding woes deepen as tariffs, outdated policies backfire

Gaza war raises ethical questions for ex-Obama, Biden officials
Politics

Mercenary firm tied to Gaza war crimes hires Obama-Biden PR operatives

'Israel' targets children in Gaza collecting water
Palestine

'Israel' strikes Gaza kids fetching water, blames it on 'malfunction'

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS