For years Bulgaria has strongly supported the enlargement of the EU towards the countries of the Western Balkans, said Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva addressing the parliamentary foreign affairs committee.

She pointed out that the decision of the latest European foreign affairs council reflects the Bulgarian demand, in an explicit text, to welcome, as unprecedented and good examples for the region, the Prespa agreement and the agreement of goodneighbourhood between Sofia and Skopje. Minister Zaharieva added that it is possible that a decision be taken, by October, to start negotiations on the accession of North Macedonia and Albania to the EU. The good news is that the two countries are not being separated, as was the wish of some in the EU. Ekaterina Zaharieva stated that it would be a historic mistake not to start negotiations with both countries.