Ljubljana - President Borut Pahor and Prime Minister Robert Golob hailed the start of EU accession talks with Albania and North Macedonia on Tuesday with Pahor calling it one of the few pieces of good news recently, and Golob describing it as "a historic and long awaited step on both countries' path into our EU family".

Quoted in a press release from his office, President Pahor called the start of accession talks with the two countries as "one of the few pieces of good news recently that boosts confidence in the European perspective of the Western Balkans".

The news is all the more important in view of the new geopolitical situation in Europe, because it "contributes to the hope that in case of a new bloc division in Europe, all the countries of the Western Balkans will find themselves on the European side", said Pahor.

He urged strengthening "the mutual responsibility of the EU and Western Balkan countries for their membership of the bloc as soon as possible".

In a post on Twitter Golob praised the Albanian and Macedonian prime ministers for their patience and leadership.

The government tweeted that "Slovenia will continue being a staunch supporter of EU's enlargement to the entire Western Balkans' region".

Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon also responded to the news, tweeting that "as chapters of the EU acquis will be negotiated, a new chapter for Macedonian and Albanian people is being written".

"Slovenia will continue to offer support and is ready to help advance the negotiation process," the minister added.

The start of accession talks was also welcomed by Slovenian MEP Irena Joveva (Renew Europe), a vice-chair of the delegation to the joint EU-North Macedonia parliamentary committee.

She regretted though that the decision on the start of accession talks came too late, opining that the EU lost much credibility and trust in the region through what she described as politicised process.

"I also hope that today's decision will give new impetus to faster and more decisive reforms in the region, and could trigger a reflection on reform of EU decision-making. At the same time, I hope this decision will accelerate the process leading to actual EU membership for North Macedonia and Albania," the MEP added.