European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Olivér Várhelyi and Portugal’s Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva, whose country is chairing the Council of the EU, are expected in Bulgaria and North Macedonia today.  

They are to discuss, with the authorities in the two countries, issues connected with EU enlargement, the EC has announced. In Sofia they will have meetings with President Rumen Radev, Prime Minister Stefan Yanev and Foreign Minister Svetlan Stoev. In the afternoon Olivér Várhelyi and Augusto Santos Silva will pay a visit to Skopje where they will hold talks with President Stevo Pendarovski, Prime Minister Zoran Zaev and other officials.

The official start of negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia is a key priority for the EU, the Commission stresses.