North Macedonia and Albania are now entering another phase of the European integration process. The opening of membership talks is the light at the end of the tunnel, the hope of a decisive turn, to embody other values and standards for citizens.
With many cramps and a traumatic transition, the integration process already has another horizon that is likely to promote and affirm other political and generally societal transpositions in sync with the EU’s paradigm of functioning.
The opening of negotiations is a long-awaited moment, a hopeful news for both countries, but also for the Western Balkans in general, as the region is finally entering another dimension of affirmation and cultivation of a future whose coordinates now require broad institutional and social reflection in the direction of internalizing a system of values that creates a space of coherent freedom and prosperity.
This is good news, in the gloomy and restrictive atmosphere of the corona virus. A news that encourages to further political engagement, the engagement of all other actors of social life towards the uninterrupted cultivation of democratic values.
The opening of negotiations opens a new window for the European perspective of North Macedonia and Albania. The European being present all the time, but often repelled by irresponsible policies, has already gained new inspiration, which in the process will need to be operationalized in good policies, in European practices, in institutional reflections that dimension expectations for democratic normality and coherent institutional functioning in line with European concepts and practices.
The opening of negotiations also implies a much deeper political and institutional commitment to the whole reform agenda that comes as a recommendation from the EU. Permanent interaction with European institutions in the negotiation process also gives hope for a change of mind, for a new perception of the whole set of institutional functioning that should already be at the height of good governance, the rule of law, objective informing, the war against corruption and a lot of other dimensions that give sense to the area of freedom that is politically dimensioned in principles and norms of functioning to the benefit of citizens.
A space of freedom and perspective already lies ahead of the two countries. A process that entails multiple interactions, but also creative synergies to respond to all challenges in this not-so-easy journey.
The opening of negotiations finally opens another horizon of democratic affirmation. All together, we must be part of this process, part of this dream, part of the European paradigm and being, which implies coherent values, opportunities and hope for the wellbeing of all citizens.