EC again urges Bulgaria and North Macedonia to resolve outstanding bilateral issues

The European Commission again urged Bulgaria and the Republic of North Macedonia to resolve the outstanding issues so that EU membership talks with Skopje can begin, a spokesperson of the European Commission said after a meeting between the Prime Minister of the Republic of North Macedonia Zoran Zaev and the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen on May 10.

Today and tomorrow, the foreign ministers and European affairs ministers will meet to discuss the Western Balkans and the enlargement process. It is still unclear whether the ministers will discuss possible separating the start of Albania's and North Macedonia's EU membership talks,

The European Commission today reiterated its position that negotiations can begin with both countries. However, the final approval of the negotiating framework and the actual start of negotiations must be made unanimously by the Member States.