North Macedonia’s president and prime minister have criticized the European Union for putting stumbling blocks in their country’s accession bid over a dispute with Bulgaria regarding Balkan history, language, and culture. Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski accused the EU of trying to dictate what North Macedonia should do and expressed frustration over the potential delay in membership talks with the bloc. Reports suggest that the EU ambassadors decided to push ahead with Albania’s accession process independently of North Macedonia, sparking anger in the country.
The EU had started membership talks with both North Macedonia and Albania in 2022, but the process was stalled due to the dispute with Bulgaria. The previous government had agreed to insert a reference to a Bulgarian ethnic minority in the constitution to break the impasse, but the current conservative government is reluctant to proceed without Bulgaria’s approval of North Macedonia’s EU membership.
President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova compared the country’s path to EU membership to waiting for Godot, expressing frustration over the prolonged negotiations and conditions imposed by the EU. The main opposition leader blamed the government for the setback, calling it a disaster for the citizens and future generations.
The dispute with Bulgaria is reminiscent of the years-long conflict with Greece over the country’s name, which was resolved when North Macedonia changed its name from Macedonia in 2018. The EU’s stance on the Balkan countries’ accession reflects the complexities and challenges involved in enlarging the bloc.
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