The EC recommended to start accession negotiations with the EU, Albania and Macedonia
BRUSSELS, April 17 — RIA Novosti. The European Commission recommended to start negotiations with Albania and Macedonia about the prospects of joining the EU, said Tuesday the head of EU diplomacy Federica Mogherini.
The Commission had until the beginning of the summer to make a decision about starting with Albania and Macedonia the negotiations for their accession to the EU.
“The EC recommended and the Council decided to open accession negotiations with Albania and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia”, — said Mogherini reporters.
Official candidates for accession to the European Union at the moment are Albania (2014), Macedonia (since 2005), Montenegro (since 2010), Serbia (since 2012) and Turkey (since 1999).
Previously, the accession negotiations with the EU was initiated with three of them: with Turkey (2005), Montenegro (2012) and Serbia (in 2014).
The European Commission in February unveiled a new strategy for the expansion of the EU towards the countries of the Western Balkans. In the documents submitted to the EC, said that “for Serbia and Montenegro, which is negotiating on accession (the strategy), marked the steps necessary to complete the process of accession in 2025”.