BRUSSELS – Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Olivér Várhelyi will travel to North Macedonia and to Albania today and tomorrow to stress the Commission’s commitment to the EU accession perspective of the two countries.
It will be his first visit to the Western Balkans since taking office on 1 December 2019.
Ahead of the visit, Commissioner Várhelyi said that he wants to send a strong signal that, for the Commission and for him personally the European Union perspective for this region is a priority.
“We stand by our proposal to open accession talks with both countries and we are working to make it happen very soon”, said Várhelyi, European Commission stated in a press release.
In Albania, Várhelyi will also visit the city of Durrës, which was heavily hit by the earthquake last November.
Today, the Commissioner will meet with the President of North Macedonia Pendarovski, President of the Parliament Xhaferi, the new Prime Minister Spasovski, members of the government as well as the leaders of the two main political parties Mr Zaev (SDSM) and Mr Mickoski (VMRO-DPMNE).
Commissioner Várhelyi will have a press point with the Prime Minister in the afternoon. In Tirana, Albania, on 16 January, the Commissioner will meet with President Meta, President of the Parliament Ruci, Prime Minister Rama, and representatives of the main opposition parties.
Commissioner Várhelyi will have a press conference with the Prime Minister and afterwards they will travel together to Durrës, the town mostly affected by the November’s earthquake.
According to Plusinfo, European Commission will publish a mini-report on North Macedonia and Albania in February, while its proposal for the new enlargement methodology is expected in March.