Hungary has blocked a procedural step needed to open the final two groups of negotiating chapters in Ukraine's and Moldova's bids to join the European Union, diplomats told the Kyiv Independent on Tuesday.
Experts from the 27 member states met in Brussels on 20 October hoping to begin unlocking the last two clusters, which cover agriculture, environment and transport. Hungary stood alone against the move and, according to one diplomat, offered no explanation beyond saying its position had not changed. Hungary's EU mission did not respond to the paper before publication.
The two countries opened two further clusters on 13 October in Luxembourg. Diplomats expect the block to be temporary, and the Irish presidency of the EU Council, which has made enlargement a priority, will keep raising the issue. Officials told the paper they expect the final clusters to open in December.
Source: Kyiv Independent
