France, the Netherlands and Denmark are currently blocking the opening of accession negotiations. Germany is more in favor.
According to Deutsche Welle (DW), Germany things there are three countries currently making it unsafe to open EU membership negotiations with Albania and Macedonia. They are France, the Netherlands and Denmark. It is therefore unclear whether the European Commission will give the green light at the EU summit in late June, is said not only from the EC circles but also from the German government.There are critical voices in Berlin about Macron's stance, he is not aware of the geostrategic significance of the Western Balkans for Europe's stability, Reuters notes. Macron has no interest in such expansion, rather than strengthening cooperation within the EU and the eurozone countries. While in Brussels it is said that "Macron has the feeling that he would leave free spave to the right wing in politics, because for Albania is thought immediately of organized crime," Reuters writes. The Dutch government also argues its opposition to internal fears.
The European Commission wants the opening of negotiations with Albania and Macedonia, because the two countries have formally met the criteria and the EU must stick to its word.
The French president wants to strengthen Europe before its enlargement.
But even in Germany there are doubts about the opening of negotiations within the conservative Union. Reuters writes that German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Heiko Mass, the Social Democrats, are however in favor of the opening of the negotiations. In government circles it is said that it is about the beginning, not the conclusion of negotiations that last for years, according to DW.