Lithuania: EU to Open 6th Cluster for Ukraine on Tuesday, Others in Autumn
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys stated that the 2nd and 6th EU accession negotiation clusters for Ukraine will be opened on Tuesday, July 14, while the remaining clusters will be postponed until autumn. Hungary earlier blocked the process but agreed after Ukraine pledged to meet conditions regarding the Hungarian minority.
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys announced on Monday, July 13, on the sidelines of the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels that the 2nd and 6th negotiation clusters for Ukraine's EU accession will be opened on Tuesday, July 14, while all other clusters will be postponed to autumn. He stated that there were no objective obstacles to opening all clusters in July, but only two will be opened. Budrys emphasized that this repeated delay is counterproductive and slows down the negotiation process.
The 6th cluster, "External Relations," will be opened on Tuesday. Its opening had previously been blocked by Hungary, which unilaterally refused to approve the screening results for clusters 2-6 for Ukraine and Moldova. After Ukraine promised to fulfill Budapest's conditions regarding the Hungarian minority, Hungary agreed to open the 6th cluster for both Ukraine and Moldova.
The remaining clusters will be opened in autumn. Budrys expressed that the delay is not productive. The information comes from a correspondent of "European Pravda" in Brussels.
