Merkel went against Macron
German Chancellor Angela Merkel demanded that the European Union resume membership negotiations with Albania and Macedonia.
The British tabloid Daily Express reports this, as reported by a PolitNavigator correspondent.
“Anyone who looks at the map, who understands the geopolitical context, knows that if the countries of the Western Balkans one day become members of the European Union, it will be good for everyone,” Merkel said after a meeting with Albanian Prime Minister Eddie Rama.
She said she wants to reach a deal that will allow accession talks to begin at the next European Council summit on March 29. Even if the decision is positive, accession negotiations will take a long time.
This announcement is likely to cause friction between Berlin and Paris.
Last October, at the initiative of French President Emmanuel Macron, the accession process for Albania and Macedonia was stopped. Nine EU countries then opposed the proposals of the French president.
US-aligned countries have sharply criticized Macron's decision, claiming that France is thus pushing the Western Balkans into Russia's arms.
“Macedonia, which aspires to become a member of the EU, accepted the EU conditions and went through great difficulty in changing its name to North Macedonia in order to gain the right to join the EU...
France, represented by Macron, broke Brussels’ promises to North Macedonia. He said at the EU summit that the European Union is not ready for enlargement, and cannot accept Albania and North Macedonia into the EU.
"We're currently experiencing a serious political crisis in North Macedonia. Pro-Russian forces are raising their voices, and it's clear that this isn't just a major historical mistake by the EU, but also a betrayal of the Balkans," Ukrainian MP Iryna Gerashchenko fumed.
English version :: Read in English: Merkel defied Macron