The European Commission has recommended opening of accession negotiations with Albania and Macedonia. This is what EU external Commissioner Federica Mogherini announced. She explained step with recent reform progress of Albania and Macedonia. EU Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn also spoke of fundamentally promising developments.
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As early as February, Commission, with its Western Balkans strategy, shared a timetable for EU enlargement by six western Balkan countries. The 2025 is to warrant Serbia and Montenegro, later Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Macedonia and Kosovo. Until n, EU Commission is regularly examining progress made by countries in fields of politics, economy and legislation.
The final decision on opening of accession negotiations will be taken by Member States. Talks are already underway with Montenegro and Serbia. Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo are considered to be potential candidates for negotiations.
Macron makes EU reform a condition
French President Emmanuel Macron sees a reform of European Union as a condition for possible accession of Western Balkans. “Yes to your will to bind Balkan countries to Europe,” said Macron on Tuesday in Strasbourg to address of EU Commission leader Jean-Claude Juncker.
The geopolitical risk was that Balkan countries slipped towards Turkey or Russia. “But for my part, I will only defend enlargement if re is first a deepening and a reform of our Europe.” At beginning of March, Juncker said: “The place of Western Balkans is in EU.”
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While Albania and Macedonia were attested to progress, re was criticism on part of EU Commission for Turkey. “Turkey has moved away from EU in great strides,” states assessment of EU accession negotiations with country. The rule of law and freedom of press and opinion would have deteriorated significantly. Since introduction of state of emergency after failed coup 2016, more than 150,000 people have been detained and tens of thousands of officials have been dismissed. To restore confidence, EU Commission calls on Turkish government of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to abolish state of emergency without delay.
It is unlikely, however, wher this actually happens. Despite EU demand, Turkish government cabinet recently decided to extend state of emergency for seventh time, as government spokesman Bekir Bozdağ, according to state news agency Anadolu, reported. The cabinet follows a recommendation of National Security Council. The decision was based on fight against terrorism.
Now Parliament has to vote on extension. There, Islamic-Conservative ruling party ACP is in majority. The vote is scheduled for Wednesday. If state of emergency is extended, Turkey would be in a state of emergency for a total period of two years. Without extension, emergency would expire on Thursday.
Despite its negative assessment, EU Commission did not advocate suspending accession negotiations with Turkey. This does not make sense, because majority of EU Member States are opposed to it, said Johannes Hahn, EU Commissioner responsible for enlargement. “The EU is a strategically important partner and will remain so.”
Turkey has been conducting accession negotiations with EU since 2005. They haven’t been moving for years.
