EU begins screening Macedonia, Albania for mid-2019 accession talks

FILE PHOTO: European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Commissioner Johannes Hahn speaks during an interview with Reuters at the EU Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium January 18, 2018. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir

SKOPJE/TIRANA (Reuters) - The European Union began screening the readiness of Balkan neighbours Macedonia and Albania on Tuesday to start negotiations by June next year on joining the EU.

EU governments last month delayed by at least a year a decision to allow membership talks with Macedonia and Albania after France and the Netherlands demanded more reforms to tackle organised crime and corruption.