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Hands raised both here in the press room and online.

We have some half an hour together, so we will do our best to answer as many questions as possible.

I would ask you to start, of course, with questions relating to the enlargement package that has just been presented to you.

Please say your name and the media outlet for which you work when I give you the floor. Carl, starts with you.

Maya for the French laissez question to both the, HRVP and the, and the commissioner, the vocabulary, the, the,

the commission's assessment on, Ukraine is very, positive, and yet it has not been possible to open any cluster yet, so.

So I just wonder if the Commission is discussing with the President of the European Council how we can proceed,

how we can speed up things,

and I also would like to know if you think Ukraine and Moldova should remain coupled in this process. Stuff. Yes, thank you for your question.

This remains a concern for 26 countries who want to really move forward with the process,

and we are consulting with the President of the Council to find ways to proceed and.

To your other question, as we are saying that this is a merit based process, considering the progress that both of those countries have made,

we should move on with both of those countries and also the others that are mentioned in the enlargement report,

because, as we say, it's a merit based process. Thank you.

Just to add, there is no black and white when we speak about the accession process.

Meaning that yes, indeed, we need a formal opening of clusters for Moldova and Ukraine.

On the other hand, the candidates can work on the reforms also without this,

and we are working together with the Danish Presidency on the idea that we should get a mandate from the Council that we could go on with the work in the working groups.

And we will see if this will be possible.

This would mean that we can still discuss and do the job,

but of course for this we needed a mandate also for these working level groups.

Thank you, I'll go to this side of the pressroom, go ahead, yeah.

Mr President, I am Augustin Matata for Ulis from Croatia and co-editor from Kosovo.

A question on Kosovo, it's still under EU measures.

The EU is not even funding some projects relating to the rule of law. When will you lift those measures?

And on Serbia, you said that there is a mixed picture.

It doesn't look much mixed, most often it's no progress,

limited progress or backsliding in the case of the media.

Do you think that Serbia is risking becoming, like Georgia, a candidate in name only? Thank you.

On the measures against Kosovo, a part of the report is that we will lift the measures as soon as possible,

especially now after the local elections are running well, and about Serbia. The report is critical, yes, indeed.

On the other hand, we are in constant contact with the government, with the president,

and they promised they will deliver, and we will follow this very shortly.

And to say this, it was a difficult year for Serbia because of the constant process.

They have gotten a new government, so we have to admit at the end of the process of naming a new.

And regarding the new electoral law, so these are good developments,

so I don't see Serbia going in the direction of Georgia.

I'll take one from remote and then come back to the press room. Em. Thank you. Can you hear me? Yes, and we also see you. Hi.

Yes, my name is Ekham Krasnitsy from the Internet Agency.

For the commissioner, because I was reading, not in details, the report on Albania,

and I didn't find anything on the maritime border dispute that Albania has with Greece. Now, my question is quite direct.

Can Albania conclude the negotiations, all the chapters,

close them without solving the maritime border it has with member Greece, member country Greece in this case?

There are Chapters and benchmarks and clusters we are dealing with in the accession process,

and there are bilateral issues.

Until now, Albania has been able to come close to solving the bilateral issues, especially with Greece,

and I am optimistic that this will be the same in the future. Thank you. I come back to the press room. Lily, we come to. Thank you so much, Emily from Reuters.

I have a question both for the High Representative and for Commissioner Koss. Actually two questions.

The first is, the report praises, a couple of the candidate countries for making progress on the rule of law, but when we talk to experts in the region,

they often tell us that they are concerned, to a greater or lesser,

lesser extent about, rule of law standards in, in most of these countries.

So what Can the EU do to ensure that the process is more than,

as you said, a box-ticking exercise.

So how can you make sure that the rule of law reforms stick, and that there won't be problems in the future?

And the second thing is,

in the report you mentioned that the Commission considers that future accession treaties should contain stronger safeguards.

Could you specify what kind of safeguards you have in mind? Thank you so much.

And the rule of law, I just answer and the rule of law, of course, rule of law is, one of the, key, asks, that we have for, for the candidate countries, and it's also,

for their own benefit because if the rule of law works, if the legal system works, then also investors trust, to invest,

in the economy which in turn means the prosperity for the people, and that's why, Of course it is not perfect.

It's also not perfect in our member states, I must say,

but the progress that they have done and considering what they are doing,

the steps, I think it's what we assess.

And of course we are also in contact with civil society and all these criticisms we are taking very seriously and following up also with candidate countries.

And in addition to this, yes, indeed, dear Lili, rule of law, anti-corruption, democratic standards, freedom of media,

all the most important things which we consider under the fundamentals is something which we are observing all the time through the process and with the new methodology,

we start with these fundamentals and we finish.

So it is not possible that there is a backsliding in between.

For instance, for anti-corruption being a problem or being expressed is that in all the candidates we focus on the track record in the fight against corruption and organized crime,

meaning that we follow precisely the figures of the indictments, prosecutions, convictions,

and we provide a qualitative assessment, and this is necessarily.

The accession process is a transition process, and it is a lot of work.

Sometimes the institutions are not there, so we are helping building up the institutions, but especially you know speaking about.

Anti-corruption or the country can have the best,

but this is also for the Member States, the best laws against anti-corruption.

If it is perceived in the societies that corruption is something very normal, then we have to also work on this, and that's why the cooperation with the civil society organizations you have mentioned is really very much important,

and that's why we will also build in the future, if I may add, I have been speaking about gradual integration.

One of the new elements of the gradual integration will be including our candidate countries in the three very important strategies which the Commission will adopt in the near future. The first is the so-called democratic shield.

So how can we all together protect democracy in Europe in candidate countries?

Very important part for the first time for the Commission, a civil society organization strategy.

How to more engage and work more project oriented or more oriented in line with what we need as a European Union from the civil society organizations and very much important media resilience plan.

One of the lessons learned from Moldova is that free and independent media are a very important pillar for the national security.

And this is also a reason why we will step up our support for free and independent media for all together protecting our democracy.

And the changes Lily was asking on the accession, yes, so safeguards,

the pre-enlargement review which will come out in the next week, weeks will be a basis for a discussion.

We hope that this review will really offer some very important inputs to the Member States,

that we will then discuss what we really have to do to be ready, and here everything is possible.

From the transitional periods, as you know, from the past,

the only thing I am against is to establish Member states of two different qualities in the sense of that first rank and second rank,

but this is my personal opinion.

Once we accept the member states, they also have to have the rights, but you know what kind of accession treaties we will see.

Mr President, I'll stay on this side of the press room and then I'll take 2 questions from remote.

I'm very eager to, I have a short question.

After this evaluation, should we expect some concrete steps regarding Georgia, for example,

some proposals from the European Commission to the Council regarding, for example, to the ruling party? Yes, thank you.

As, as you know,

we have been trying to also put sanctions on those government officials who are using violence against peaceful protesters and and and the like in in Georgia.

So far we don't have everybody on board when it comes to Member States, but we are,

we keep working on on finding different ways to, to address these issues.

The concrete measures are of course in the hands of the Member States, but in November we will hopefully get a new visa suspension mechanism which will enable us to do some further steps,

and I have a very important message for the citizens of Georgia,

especially because their government is telling the citizens that they are bringing them into the EU.

Government of Georgia, you are not bringing your people to the EU, you are bringing your people away from the EU.

If you are serious about the EU,

then listen to your people and stop putting the opposition leaders and journalists and people who think differently than you into jail. Then we can talk.

As I said, I'll take 2 questions from remote. Let's go to Fiorella. Can you hear me? Yes, hi.

My name is Serena Beleshi from A2 CNN Albania, and I have two questions.

First one is Brussels discussing the possibility of Albania joining in the EU without voting rights,

and would such a scenario serve as a testing period?

If so, how long will that period last?

And the second one is referring, also to the progress report.

How realistic is our Albanian chance of closing a negotiation by 2027 and becoming an EU member in this decade? Thank you.

There is no debate on cutting the voting rights, so there is really no debate in the Commission, and I was telling you before that in my personal opinion,

we shouldn't make Member states of two different categories, and on the second,

it depends mostly on the deliveries of the government or of all the citizens of Albania. Finishing.

A accession process or negotiations until the end of 27, it is possible, but there is still a lot to be done. We are supporting this.

You can count on our support, but there is a lot of work still to be done,

and I'm speaking about finishing the negotiation process.

Then we have to consider that it takes up 1 to 2 years of the ratification process that a country can become a member of the EU.

Last one remote, and then I come back to the press room. Yulia, over to you. Hello. Hi.

Mr President, my question is regarding Moldova and Lucia Serena, Republic of Moldova Journal TV, so it's for both.

What are the main recommendations for the Republic of Moldova in the coming years and in which key areas?

Also, Commissioner, you said in the press conference that the goal is to open the negotiations until November.

But, did you mean November 26, and does it mean that the member state,

the member states want to wait until the elections in Hungary are over or if I'm wrong please correct me.

Yes, I have stressed that Moldova has made the biggest progress, but the negotiations haven't started yet.

It doesn't mean that the reforms are not on the way, so it is the whole package of the rule of law.

There has been advancement in the media law.

There has been advancement in the judiciary because this was one of the reasons that Moldova has been successful in fighting.

Back the Russian hybrid war, but of course all the work in the cluster,

so the technical part still has to be done.

No, I was speaking about the year of 25, not 2026,

as I was saying before, and I will stress it once again.

Not Ukraine and not Moldova need Mister Orbán to do all the necessary reforms.

The reforms can be done on the way with our support.

We are looking for the Mandate to go on in the working groups.

We need the position of the member states and we also need to know where to come, meaning what is the goal,

what are the benchmarks, and I hope that we will get this, but once again the work can go on now. Thank you. We have some 1015 minutes left.

Is it OK if I take questions two by two? OK, perfect.

Then let's continue at the center of the press room. Thanks.

Mr President, I am Ivan Miovvi from Radio and Television of Montenegro.

For Commissioner Kos, can we expect that the European Commission will soon recommend to the Council to start working on an accession treaty with Montenegro,

taking into consideration good results and significant progress at Montenegro?

Has made in this report and for Vice President Carlos,

Montenegro is one of 4 countries that have 100% alignment with foreign and security policy.

What is the Commission doing to help those countries to mitigate the negative effects of constant and consistent alignment that also could have negative repercussions to their economies? Thank you.

Let's take another question here in the front. Go ahead.

Bruno Waterfield Times of London, next question for both of you, but particularly,

Commissioner Cos, you said to the FT that you wanted to avoid Trojan horses.

I'm Are you implying that when there was a previous enlargement along with Slovenia,

Estonia, there were some Trojan horses.

Who came in, who could have been picked up and stopped, could you tell us perhaps who they are or what you meant?

You talked about in terms of these accession changes to accession treaties, you described it as a kind of probation.

How do you avoid that becoming an inferior status and how do you avoid that actually sending a negative message to countries like Serbia that they are not equals,

they are not true Europeans? I would start.

Yes, on, on the question of, the alignment of, foreign, foreign and security policy, we are in this very, difficult and,

Turbulent world and the European Union is all about values and principles, and we need to stick to those principles.

I mean very often really defending these values and principles is not free.

Actually it is costly, but we have to do it because the threats.

Are existential for Europe right now and also for the world if you look at multilateralism being under heavy fire,

so we pay the cost and we ask our candidate countries to pay the cost equally because it's about the values and principles that the European Union is all about. Thank you.

Regarding Montenegro, as we will soon come to the time that we will have to start preparing the accession treaties and of course,

also drafting the financial package. I'm really looking forward to to this.

Regarding the Trojan horses, no implication to the past.

This is with looking into the future and considering the concerns we get from the citizens in the Member States, meaning how can we protect our European Union that all the Member States,

all the Member States will follow the rule of law or,

if I simplify, will follow Article 2 of the European Treaty.

The probation, which was in the Financial Times today,

it is only the real discussion will start.

If this will be then different areas of transitional periods or any other possible steps,

we will see.

The main goal is that once we take somebody into the European Union.

New Member States, this will make us stronger, not weaker.

This is the whole idea of discussing these issues.

Thank you, I'll take 2 questions from Ramo together. Let's start with Jugen and then Tommaso.

Or from Kiev, one for Commissioner Krost, behind the bulky document, the Ukrainecratic wording of the document, what is your personal opinion on the, tone of voice of this report toward Ukraine, toward Ukrainian authorities, and to, HRVP,

do you believe that integration,

of Ukraine into the common European defense architecture will contribute to making the accession process faster because I read in the report that integration into the common market does make the ties with the EU stronger. What about the defense? Thank you. I didn't acoustically understand the question, so.

I, I think the first question was, aside the report, was, is your general opinion on Ukraine,

a sort of message on, on Ukraine, at least this is what I gathered from it.

But perhaps I take Tommaso if that's OK, and then we go back to Ukraine and trying to take as many as we can. Tommaso. Quick questions if I may.

To the High Representative,

do you think that the EU could really function with more than 30 member states without implementing serious reforms?

And the second one, it might seem off topic, but it is not actually because,

I mean, the EU is quite reluctant to speak out against, President Trump.

Probably it is wise, but as the US seems bound to do to Venezuela what, something not very different from what Russia is doing to Ukraine,

I mean, don't get me wrong, Venezuela is a brutal dictatorship, a dysfunctional state, but it is still a sovereign state.

So is the EU is the EU OK with the prospect that the US might attack Venezuela? Many thanks.

Generally on Ukraine, if this was the question, I have a full admiration, as I have said, that Ukraine, despite the very difficult circumstances the country finds itself in,

because of the war of aggression,

the country continued to demonstrate remarkable commitment to the EU accession path over the past year.

We have done the screening processes in the record time for all 6 clusters, and in May, Ukraine has adopted road maps on the rule of law,

public administration reform, functioning of a democratic institutions,

as well as action plan on the national minorities and its negotiating position for the fundamental cluster.

There is so much Ukraine has done in times of war,

and we will go on.

There is huge support which we get from Ukraine, not just from the European Commission, but also from the Member States,

and some Member States are really helping in the accession process and generally, of course. Thank you for the question.

First, on Ukraine and the defense architecture,

it is clear that we have so much to learn from Ukraine.

I mean, the innovation that we see from there, I mean,

they are the strongest army in Europe right now,

and it is integrating Ukraine also in our.

Projects that we do gradually when it comes to defense industry buildup,

for example, is also it's a win-win for both sides.

So definitely it helps because for the overall integration as well to the other.

Questions, could the European Union, function with, 30 members?

I mean, there was discussion before we joined, could the European function with, 28 members at that time, now 27. So the questions have been always there. Now, of course we have the treaties.

The treaties give us possibilities to operate and we clearly also need to see and discuss whether we need to change anything in order to be able to adopt decisions because it's true that if we talk about European.

The European Union as a geopolitical power, we are a geopolitical power only when we are able to adopt decisions and act in accordance with it, and, as Commissioner Krooess mentioned,

the European Commission is working on the plan to come up with the policy reviews and reforms to be able to grow,

and on your second question, We stand with the international law.

International law gives only two reasons to use force against another country.

One is self-defense, and the other one is the Security Council resolution. Thank you. Thanks.

Let's go here to the front of the press room. Go ahead.

Mr President, I am Jennifer Rankin, the Guardian.

Can I follow up on one of the last questions.

First to Commissioner Koss, would you like to see yes or no reform of the European Union before any new countries can join, even if that means they may join more slowly than some would like,

and a variant on that question to Vice President Kallas,

do you think there should be an abolition of the veto principle in common and?

Foreign and security policy in order for enlargement to happen. Thank you.

It cannot be just yes or no when we speak about the future of the European Union.

We will have to take time, and the pre-enlargement review which started last year and dealing with the four areas as values,

governance, policies,

and also financing will give some input for this discussion.

No enlargement can happen without involving the member states.

And this will be a good occasion to speak about this.

Our president Ursula von der Leyen has mentioned some of the possibilities in the political guidance, for instance, using the role more often,

or really to check where we can get from unanimity to QME without the Changing the European treaty,

so there are many possibilities, but we should really have a good discussion.

Speaking about this because we are saying that Montenegro and Albania are the leaders in the process. Montenegro has a population of 600,000 people. It is like Antwerp. Albania, it's 2.4 million. It's like, let's say Rome.

So all together it's 3 million people, and I'm sure that the European Union is capable of.

In those two countries without big changes,

so there will be no big financial implications or implications for the decision making process or for any other area which is important to some of the member states. Thank you. On your other question. I think it is two sides.

I mean we have been, we have been talking about the candidate countries that have to deliver on reforms on different things that we are asking them,

but we need to be ready also on our side.

We can't end up in a situation where actually, you know, we say it's a merit-based process.

They have done their homework, but we haven't.

We say that we are not ready yet.

So that's why I think it's urgent to have those discussions.

Coming to your other question and considering that I'm from a country that didn't have a voice for 50 years,

we cherish the fact that we are equals around the table,

like big countries are, and this is the value of the European Union, really.

So most of the countries have not in any way. Abused this right but been really constructive.

If we are around the council table, it's really truly a spirit of compromise that is there.

OK, I understand you have a problem, can we solve this, in, in this way.

So, so that has gone, you know,

gotten us so far and we have been able to deliver on very many very complex,

topics, but, it is.

It is also clear that we have a chance to discuss how we function,

because the world has really changed.

The world order is changing as we speak, and it is a question for us what is our role there and whether we are able to play this geopolitical game,

and we are only able to play this game if we are able to adopt decisions. Thanks a lot.

I will be taking very quickly the last two questions if we still have a couple of minutes, one from remote to one here in the press room.

Let me remind you that then we have a technical briefing, so of course you can still ask questions.

I will take Velislava from remote and then I'll go there to the back of the press room. Velislava from remote. Can you hear me? Yes, hi. Hi. My question is for Commissioner Koss.

The report mentions the ongoing ties between Russia and Serbia.

Do Belgrade, Belgrade's ties with Moscow pose a threat to security in the region of the Western Balkans?

I didn't get to the beginning of the,

so it's basically if the ties between Serbia and Russia pose a threat to security in the region.

Coming from this region, I can understand that our candidate country,

Serbia, is having special relations with Russia.

On the other hand, I was stressing candidate country.

We expect from a candidate country a clear geopolitical positioning,

especially in the times when this country, Russia, is killing people in Ukraine.

We have been speaking about the CFSP alignment before. In Serbia it is the lowest.

We have 4 countries with 100% in the Western Balkans.

We have 99% alignment with Ukraine,

98 with Moldova, and Serbia it's 6061. So Serbia will have to decide.

Second point, 60% of the trade of Serbia is with the European Union.

And with Russia it is about 1.5% or even less, so. Clear.

Let's go to the back of the press room.

Yes, last question and then we have to wrap it up. Thank you.

Mr President, Radio Romania, I would like to know your assessment on Transnistria is Transnistria a problem for Moldova accession,

because when we are speaking about Transnistria, we are speaking about a tiny Russia linked to Moldova.

The European Commission respects the territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova, meaning Transnistria is a part of the country,

and I'm sure that before Moldova will become a member of the EU,

we will be able to solve this problem.

There are some elements and points which have already been done.

In the past, I'm speaking about, for instance,

Transnistria since this year allowing transmitting of the national radio and television of Moldova on their territory before it was impossible or closing some of the Illegal border crossings or enabling people in the future also to be part of the growth plan 1.9 billion for Moldova.

So yes, now with the new government we will also work on this challenge.

Thank you very much, High Representative, Vice President and Commissioner.

Thank you to the interpreters, all of you.

We will be back in a couple of minutes for the technical briefing of the record and for the rest, have a nice afternoon. Goodbye.