Brussels, 11 December 2023 (MIA) – The European Union’s General Affairs Council (GAC) at its meeting on Tuesday is expected to approve the conclusions on enlargement and the stabilization and association process related to the European Commission’s Enlargement Package, as part of which it is expected to make a decision over the scheduling of the second intergovernmental conferences with North Macedonia and Albania, according to sources from the European Council.

The same sources note that, in line with the statement of the President of the EU Council, Charles Michel, the Union wants to see North Macedonia and Albania progress together down the European path. More details regarding the dates for the intergovernmental conferences will be known after Tuesday’s meeting.

In its Report on North Macedonia’s progress, the European Commission highlighted that the country’s authorities have continued to demonstrate and to declare publicly their commitment to advancing on their EU path. It further noted that the country has continued to align itself with the common foreign and security policy of the EU, while the country has also achieved some progress in the field of justice, freedom and security, including in the fight against organized crime and migration management.

As a negotiating country, North Macedonia needs to deliver on the implementation of EU related reforms, including in the judiciary, the fight against corruption and organized crime, public administration reform, including management of public finances, and public procurement, said the report.

The Report added that North Macedonia has committed to launch and achieve as a matter of priority the relevant constitutional changes, with a view to including in the Constitution citizens who live within the borders of the state and who are part of other peoples, such as Bulgarians.

As part of the Enlargement Package, the European Commission provided a detailed assessment of the situation and progress achieved by the candidate members, and it proposed the opening of accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova, and the granting of a candidate member status to Georgia. The Commission also recommended the launching of accession talks with Bosnia and Herzegovina once the country achieves a necessary degree of compliance with the membership criteria.

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