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The dispute between Bulgaria and North Macedonia should be resolved outside of the EU accession process, the US State Department said.
Our wish is for North Macedonia’s candidacy to enter the negotiating framework by the end of this year, a State Department spokesperson told Voice of America.
The United States welcomes the negotiation efforts between Sofia and Skopje, but at the same time calls for bilateral disputes to be resolved outside of the accession process to achieve the common goal of North Macedonia’s membership in the European Union.
The State Department emphasizes that the EU enlargement process promotes peace, stability and long-term prosperity throughout the region.
The EU’s decision in March to start accession talks with North Macedonia and Albania was a positive step and refuted the false narrative that the transatlantic community had ignored the Balkans. The postponement of these countries’ accession to the EU creates the risk of again raising confidence issues in the EU in the region, the State Department said.
