Negotiating Framework Expected to Be Approved if Sofia Accepts Proposal

26 European Union member states are waiting for Bulgaria’s response on the French proposal, which to be adopted must go through three phases in four days. “We have prepared a proposal to be presented. Given that the enlargement process itself is in question, we strongly support the EU efforts to start negotiations between North Macedonia and Albania,” said Tanja Fajon, Slovenia’s Foreign Minister. “Our efforts are to accelerate the accession process of North Macedonia and Albania,” said Nikos Dendias, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece. “North Macedonia has been waiting for 17 years as a candidate country. It was even willing to change its name and then waited another two years to start negotiations. Now there is a problem with the neighbour regarding history,” said Alexander Schallenberg, Austria’s Foreign Minister. The Austrian Foreign Minister said that he felt that the Western Balkans had fallen into the background in relation to the Eastern countries, in the context of the proposed candidate status for Ukraine and Moldova.