“Last night, Montenegro closed three more negotiating chapters. Today, we will close one chapter with Albania and open two negotiation clusters each with Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova,” said Marta Kos, European Commissioner for Enlargement, ahead of the meeting of the European Union’s General Affairs Council, TRIBUNA reports.

The European official also noted that, as the enlargement process gains momentum, discussions will take place with EU Member States on “how to ensure that the European Union becomes stronger as it expands.”

“That is precisely why I have proposed stronger safeguards to ensure respect for the rule of law and the continuation of reforms, allowing the Union to function more effectively,” Kos stated.

“Today, we will also welcome candidate countries into the European Centre for Democratic Resilience. Many of these countries have been facing hybrid threats for years. Their experience can help us protect democracy across Europe,” Marta Kos added.