Speaking ahead of the video conference of European affairs ministers on Tuesday, German Minister of State for Europe, Michael Roth, informed EU ministers about the state of play of the discussions on the general EU position and the procedures for accession negotiations in relation to Albania and North Macedonia.

“A negotiating framework is required in order to formally open accession talks with a candidate country. The presidency’s aim is to have the negotiating frameworks and the internal arrangements approved in time to be able to hold the first intergovernmental conferences with the two candidate countries in 2020, if conditions are met, this being the step that officially launches the procedure,” he said.

Furthermore, Roth said the EU has not yet set a date for the start of the first IGC with Tirana and Skopje, mostly due to Bulgaria’s veto over unresolved issues with North Macedonia. In fact, Bulgarian FMEkaterina Zaharieva confirmed Tuesday evening her country’s veto on Skopje.

Asked about the Albanian situation in particular, minister Roth showed optimism.

“There are still two points, the one for the establishment of the Constitutional Court and the implementation of the electoral law, but there is optimism,” said Roth, while recalling that “the vetting process has its difficulties, in a small country where the selection of qualified candidates becomes longer and more difficult”.

Referring to the COVID-19 pandemic, Roth stressed that the economy and the situation created are at the top of the negotiating agenda. The German Minister urged Member States to work together in solidarity so that funds can be distributed to all countries.

EU Commissioner for Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi said work should continue and stressed that it is important for negotiating frameworks with Albania and North Macedonia to be agreed as soon as possible so first IGCs can be held this year. “All need to continue the efforts to resolve the open issues. I am in contact with German EU Presidency and all relevant parties in support of finding a solution,” Varhelyi wrote on Twitter.