Ursula von der Leyen arrives in Skopje tomorrow to discuss enlargement and the EU budget

Ursula von der Leyen arrives in Skopje tomorrow, October 2, 2026, to end a regional tour that has focused on the EU accession path, gradual integration and a European Growth Plan. Her visit comes after stops in neighbouring capitals where enlargement and closer ties with the Union were the main themes.

In Tirana, von der Leyen unveiled a new enlargement strategy and said the Commission will next week place the EU budget on the table as part of preparations to receive new members. She said the Union must be ready to expand and stressed the need for internal reviews.

What von der Leyen said and what she brings

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission: "You in Albania are preparing, and so are we, because enlargement is a two-way process, and the European Union must be ready to receive new members. That is why next week we will present our so-called pre-accession policy reviews, in other words, we will review our institutions, we will review our policies and, of course, we will also review our budget to ensure that our European Union is ready to expand and to receive new members."

At the same time, Germany's foreign minister urged a faster enlargement process, warning that growing Russian and Chinese influence in the Western Balkans makes the Union's decisions more urgent. Johan Wadephul, Foreign Minister of Germany: "EU enlargement to the Western Balkans is a crucial test for Europe. It will be decisive for what influence the EU will have in the coming decades."

A Brussels report published yesterday said the EU plans to open access to its single market for candidate countries and voiced concern that prolonged delays could push North Macedonia, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Turkey toward other powers. The same report said Brussels is preparing tailored "roadmaps" for four favoured candidates — Montenegro, Albania, Ukraine and Moldova — while North Macedonia was not listed among that group.

Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said he had no information about such a decision and did not know whether the report was accurate. In Skopje, von der Leyen's visit is expected to touch on a mix of topics: concrete steps toward integration, potential EU involvement in the bilateral dialogue with Bulgaria, and the political signals that surround any talk of constitutional change.

Photo: press material from the event