The start of EU accession talks with Macedonia and Albania remains a priority issue, EU Enlargement and Neighborhood Policy Commissioner Oliver Varjei said tonight after a meeting of the General Affairs Council in Luxembourg.

Regarding the situation with Albania and S. Macedonia, over the past months, much has been done and significant progress has been made. "We are in the final stage and will continue to work with the Slovenian EU presidency to conclude the process, which is to open the first intergovernmental conferences (with Macedonia and Albania) as a priority issue," Varheji wrote on Twitter.

Despite encouraging tones and attempts to persuade Bulgaria to lift its unprincipled veto on Northern Macedonia, Skopje and Tirana at the Luxembourg Ministerial Council again remained at the EU's door without the opportunity to resume negotiations that met all conditions. Bulgaria reaffirmed its position on the European perspective of the Republic of Northern Macedonia at the General Affairs Council in Luxembourg, while remaining open to a constructive dialogue with the forthcoming Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU to find mutually acceptable solutions.