North Macedonia’s EU Path Remains Frozen as Von der Leyen Calls for Constitutional Change

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North Macedonia’s bid to join the European Union remains blocked by a dispute with Bulgaria, with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen telling Skopje that constitutional changes are needed to move the accession process forward.

During a meeting in Skopje on Friday with North Macedonian Prime Minister Christian Mickoski, the two discussed the country’s strained relations with Bulgaria and the long running dispute that has stalled its European ambitions.

Mickoski called for EU involvement in resolving the dispute, saying North Macedonia wants the outstanding issues with its eastern neighbour addressed through dialogue and mutual respect.

“We discussed openly the challenges we face in relations with our eastern neighbour. Our desire is that these issues be overcome through dialogue, with goodwill and mutual respect,” Mickoski said after the meeting.

Von der Leyen, however, pointed to a specific condition that Brussels considers necessary for the accession process to advance.

She said North Macedonia must amend its Constitution to formally recognise the Bulgarian minority living in the country.

“Once the deadlock is lifted, North Macedonia’s accession process can proceed rapidly, as the necessary reforms are already being intensively implemented,” von der Leyen said.

Bulgaria insists on constitutional recognition

The constitutional amendment stems from an EU proposal agreed in 2022. Under the framework, North Macedonia committed to changing its Constitution to include Bulgarians among the communities explicitly recognised in the country’s founding document.

The previous North Macedonian government accepted the proposal but failed to secure the two thirds parliamentary majority required to amend the Constitution.

Opposition to the change was led by Mickoski’s VMRO-DPMNE, which returned to government in June 2024.

Mickoski has continued to reject constitutional changes under the current circumstances, while Brussels and Sofia maintain that the amendment is a necessary step before the accession negotiations can move forward.

Bulgaria has also shown little willingness to reopen the agreement.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev has argued that North Macedonia must respect the rights of its Bulgarian minority and include it in the Constitution, describing the requirement as part of the EU’s established accession criteria.

A wider dispute over history and identity

The disagreement goes beyond the constitutional amendment.

Relations between Sofia and Skopje have been marked for decades by disputes over history, national identity and language. The question of how Bulgaria’s historical and cultural presence in North Macedonia is recognised remains particularly contentious.

According to North Macedonia’s 2021 census, around 3,500 people, or approximately 0.2 per cent of the population, identified as Bulgarian.

Bulgaria has disputed the census figure, arguing that the methodology did not ensure the full participation of Bulgarians living in North Macedonia and accusing Skopje of downplaying the historical Bulgarian presence.

The dispute has become more politically sensitive since VMRO-DPMNE returned to power in 2024.

Von der Leyen’s Western Balkans tour

Skopje was the final stop on von der Leyen’s tour of the Western Balkans, which began on September 30.

She previously visited Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro, holding talks with their leaders on their respective EU accession prospects.

Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina were not included in this tour because of upcoming elections, with von der Leyen expected to visit both countries at a later date.

For North Macedonia, however, the central issue remains unresolved: Brussels continues to link progress in the accession process to the constitutional recognition of the Bulgarian minority, while Skopje has yet to secure the political consensus needed to make the change.

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