'The European Union has opened membership talks with the North Macedonia and Albania, the Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, Oliver Varhelyi, has announced.
Varhelyi took to Twitter to confirm that the bloc's 27 EU members had reached the agreement, adding that this "also sends a loud and clear message to the Western Balkans: your future is in the EU".
Croatia, which holds the baton for the rotating Presidency of the European Council, said this is a "recognition of the significant reform efforts taken by the two countries".
The country had signalled their intention to push accession talks to the top of the agenda when beginning their tenure of holding the six month rotating presidency in January, Croatia being the latest to join the bloc in 2011.'
- Euronews,
EU enlargement: Brussels 'can open membership talks' with Albania and North Macedonia, March 24, 2020
Context'..our common geostrategic interest to have the Western Balkans as close as possible to the European Union..''..North Macedonia and Albania did what we asked them to do. Achieving that required a significant effort from their citizens..'The key to happiness is freedom not income