The Dutch government now supports Albania and North Macedonia’s EU membership applications, despite the two Balkan countries’ negotiations with France and Denmark being blocked in 2019.
The cabinet and coalition parties in the Dutch House of Representatives are now in favour to see the two Balkan countries, which hope to begin accession negotiations, join the European Union, reports the Dutch media NL Times.
Skopje’s bid is currently hampered by Bulgaria’s veto of a common language and history, while Tirana’s progress in the EU is linked to that of North Macedonia.
Last May, the European Parliament exhorted The European Council is to begin negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia on EU membership, highlighting “the geostrategic context of relations with Russia and its aggression against Ukraine.”
Prime Minister Mark Rutte is now in favor of Albania and North Macedonia’s applications for EU membership, according to the Dutch channel De Telegraaf reports. In 2018, he said Albania and North Macedonia would “weaken the entire Union,” citing corruption and a lack of press freedom. In 2019, the The Dutch, along with France and Denmark, blocked negotiations for both countries.
This is despite the significant decline in media freedom in Albania and corruption, especially at a high level, which remains a significant problem.
Rutte is now trying to rally support across the bloc. Last May, he and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz discussed the accession of North Macedonia and Albania during a press conference in The Hague.
“We are all trying together in the European Union to do everything in our power to ensure that the Western Balkans remain stable and that we find a solution to the problems that exist there, especially regarding North Macedonia and Bulgaria,” Rutte said at the time. .
