Albanian Premier Edi Rama received today President of the European Council Charles Michel who is visiting Albania. After the meeting, Rama and Michel gave a joint press conference, where Michel said there is no unanimity among EU member countries for the opening of the negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia. Michel explained there is a debate over the new model that will be applied for the negotiations, with the new strategy to be presented in the coming weeks in Brussels.

Premier Rama said that “what is happening today is a new approach, a new dimension between EU and the Western Balkans, which is positive developments, not a formal opening of the negotiations”.

“Even France would not be granted the opening of the negotiations had it applied today”, Rama said trying to illustrate the internal debates in EU over the expansion.

The Albanian Prime Minister said the Balkan countries must be encouraged through investments as long as the negotiations do not open.