German Chancellor Advocates Accelerating Accession Talks With North Macedonia, Albania

BERLIN (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 02nd June, 2022) German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Wednesday that he advocates the earliest possible beginning of the European Union's accession talks with North Macedonia and Albania.

"It is my personal responsibility that the states of the Western Balkans embark on accession talks with the EU as soon as possible, so that progress can be achieved. Their accession would be in our common interest... I believe that it is important that the EU begins practical membership talks with North Macedonia and Albania at earliest opportunity," Scholz told a briefing.

He added that this approach also applies to other countries in the region.

The debate over EU enlargement has intensified in recent months after Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova have officially applied for EU membership, bringing a total number of states aspiring to join the union to nine, including Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey.