Anger over EU's 'historic mistake' on Skopje, Tirana

BRUSSELS: The EU has made a"historic mistake" that risks destabilising the Balkans, senior officials warned on Friday , after a handful of countries led by French President Emmanuel Macron again blocked membership talks for North Macedonia and Albania.

Johannes Hahn, the European commissioner who has led efforts to push the two countries to reform to fit EU norms, said it had left the bloc's credibility damaged"not only in the Western Balkans but beyond"."To refuse acknowledgement of proven progress will have negative consequences, including the risk of destabilisation of the Western Balkans, with full impact on the EU."

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said EU leaders would look again at the matter before a summit with Western Balkans leaders in Zagreb early next year.The summit deadlock came days after EU ministers hit a similar impasse at talks in Luxembourg - following two earlier delays by EU countries on making a decision.

But diplomats suspect the French are playing tough for domestic political reasons linked to immigration, and there is frustration that Macron appears to be trying to move the goalposts.

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