EU starts membership talks with Albania, North Macedonia

By RAF CASERT
Associated Press

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union has started membership negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia. The step in the Balkan nations’ paths toward EU membership was delayed for years but gained momentum amid the war in Ukraine. Officially, the process kicked off with the presentation of the negotiating frameworks on Tuesday. That allows the bloc’s head office to screen how prepared each country is to take on all the EU’s laws, rules and regulations. In June, the EU made Ukraine and neighboring Moldova candidates for membership even though Western Balkan nations had been kept waiting to join. North Macedonia and Albania became EU candidates 19 years ago, but their accession talks never commenced until Tuesday.