Rule of Law in the Western Balkans: Between honesty and government control
[Albania](https://lospiegone.com/2017/12/07/balcani-in-pillole-albania/), [Montenegro](https://lospiegone.com/2018/06/28/balcani-in-pillole-montenegro/) and [North Macedonia](https://lospiegone.com/2018/05/06/balcani-in-pillole-macedonia/) are all 'Candidate Countries' for membership to the European Union, although each achieved this status at different times. Montenegro submitted its membership application in 2010 and formally opened negotiations in 2012. Albania, on the other hand, after applying for membership in 2009, had to wait until March 2020 for the beginning of negotiations, due to its shortcomings in the application of the *rule of law* and internal opposition to the EU. Similarly, North Macedonia achieved Candidate Country status in December 2004 but the process was halted in 2009 due to a veto by Greece. The negotiations were then further delayed until [March 2020](https://lospiegone.com/2020/03/30/il-futuro-dellallargamento-dellue-macedonia-del-nord-e-albania/), due to the dynamics among member states.
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