By Valentina Dimitirevska in Skopje Albania officially opened on October 15 the first chapter of its negotiations for European Union membership, marking a historic milestone for the country in its journey towards integration.

Albania begins EU accession negotiations on October 15th, marking a pivotal point amid tensions with North Macedonia and internal challenges.

Albania took a step toward joining the EU by starting formal negotiations. But the path ahead is still far from clear.After years stuck in the European Union's waiting room, Albania started formal talks on joining the bloc on Tuesday.

Europe’s leaders began mapping out a stricter migration policy as countries contend with political pressure to show an improvement in reducing the number of arrivals.

European Union leaders arriving at a summit in Brussels on Thursday said that the bloc needed tougher policies to expel illegal migrants, but acknowledged that agreeing new steps would take time. Poland and Baltic countries have said they would also call for a common EU stance against Russia and Belarus using migrants as a weapon against the EU.

The meeting comes after the far-right made gains in the European Parliament and also in various elections in Germany and Austria.As leaders of EU member states gather in Brussels on Thursday, moving forward on policies tackling irregular migration is set to be high on the agenda.