{"id":31564,"date":"2022-02-16T12:03:29","date_gmt":"2022-02-16T11:03:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/euronews.al\/en\/?p=31564"},"modified":"2022-02-16T12:04:39","modified_gmt":"2022-02-16T11:04:39","slug":"u-s-is-100-in-favor-of-open-balkan-declares-pm-rama","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/euronews.al\/en\/u-s-is-100-in-favor-of-open-balkan-declares-pm-rama\/","title":{"rendered":"U.S. is 100% in favor of Open Balkan, declares PM Rama \u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

After his official visit<\/a><\/strong> to Washington D.C., PM Edi Rama declared that the new U.S. administration is 100% in favor of the Open Balkan initiative.<\/p>\n

Rama also declared that part of his discussions with US officials was the fact that in the upcoming months, we should expect new things when it comes to the Open Balkan initiative.<\/p>\n

In addition, the Albanian prime minister said that there is still uncertainty when it comes to the issue of decoupling Albania and North Macedonia in the EU integration process. In order to start the first Intergovernmental Conference (IGC), Albania has to be separated from North Macedonia, or else, it will need to stand by and hope for the possibility of Bulgaria dropping its veto.<\/p>\n

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PM Rama and Secretary of State Antony Blinken during official visit in Washington DC<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Bulgaria has been disputing<\/a> <\/strong>North Macedonia\u2019s right to its history and language for some time now \u2013 turning into an obstacle for Albania\u2019s and North Macedonia\u2019s EU negotiations.<\/p>\n

Bulgaria is using its veto power thus blocking the process of negotiations between the EU and North Macedonia, which has blocked the process of accession for Albania as well.<\/p>\n

Disputes around the origins of the Macedonian language, its history, and national identity as well as the right of Bulgarians living in North Macedonia have been amongst the main reasons leading up to Bulgaria\u2019s decision to impose a veto against North Macedonia.<\/p>\n

If Albanians end up being in favor of the country\u2019s decoupling from North Macedonia \u2013 following the National Consultation Survey that is still underway \u2013 Rama said that this will serve as a stimulus to request then our decoupling from North Macedonia, if accession negotiations aren\u2019t reached within France\u2019s mandate in the European Presidency.<\/p>\n

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