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French former Minister opposes EU talks with Tirana-Skopje

(ANSA) - BRUSSELS, MAY 23 - In an interview with RTL, Nathalie Loiseau, former Minister for European Affairs in Macron's government,said "in June there will be no negotiations" between the EU and Albania and Northern Macedonia. In France, she explained, "we have not changed our mind, we will be against it, we will continue to be against it. Those countries are geographically in Europe and we must help them, but the answer to enlargement is no". Loiseau, who is currently running as leader of the République en marche (Lrem) at the European Elections, said she was the one who blocked the opening of EU negotiations with Albania and Northern Macedonia last June when the EU leaders decided to postpone the accession talks. "The enlargement is decided unanimously and last year I spent eight hours explaining to my EU counterparts that I was against, in full agreement with Emmanuel Macron", French former minister said. According to Loiseau, the doors of the EU will remain closed for Tirana and Skopje also at the next summit of European leaders on June 20th-21st. (ANSA).