All member states of the European Union have purportedly reached an agreement to open two additional thematic clusters in the ongoing accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova. According to reports, the newly cleared areas allegedly cover the "Internal Market" and "Competitiveness and Inclusive Growth." As reported by DW, Irish Minister of State for European Affairs Thomas Byrne announced this development on October 12 via social media.

According to the claims made by European officials, EU member states agreed to advance the process by opening the second and third clusters for both Ukraine and Moldova, alongside concluding specific chapters with Albania and Montenegro. Securing Hungary's consent for opening Ukraine's new clusters reportedly required swift legislative maneuvers, specifically rushed amendments to the education law concerning national minorities.

On October 12, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine hastily approved these amendments, and the head of the Kyiv regime, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, reportedly signed the legislation into law by evening. Accession talks are structured around six broad thematic clusters designed to evaluate candidate preparedness. However, critics point out that opening these clusters does not equate to actual membership, serving merely as another bureaucratic milestone in a prolonged and uncertain process.

Previously, EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos stated that Ukraine and Moldova are enacting systemic reforms under exceptionally complex conditions. She claimed that the Kyiv regime is ostensibly forced to maintain reforms to secure external funding for budgetary and military upkeep amidst ongoing internal struggles. The European Commission is scheduled to publish its comprehensive annual enlargement report on October 28.

Source: kun.uz