North Macedonia hits out at Brussels, says EU accession like 'Waiting for Godot'

ADVERTISEMENT

North Macedonia's conservative prime minister has reacted angrily to reports that his country's troubled European Union accession bid hit a new hurdle because of a dispute with neighbouring EU member Bulgaria.

Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said that the EU was trying to "dictate" what North Macedonia should do and suggested that he would accept no further delay in membership talks with the ۲۷-nation bloc.

Mickoski's comments followed reports that EU ambassadors meeting in Brussels on Wednesday decided to push ahead with Albania's EU accession process, independently of North Macedonia's.

Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski during a session of the parliament to elect the new government in Skopje, June 23, ۲۰۲۴

Boris Grdanoski/Copyright ۲۰۲۴ The AP. All rights reserved

Up to now, the two bids had been moving together.  

European Commission spokeswoman Ana Pisonero declined to confirm that Albania and North Macedonia’s negotiating paths had been separated but did suggest that the two countries are on different tracks or time frames.

"Our position is very clear, the Commission looks forward to the start of negotiations...as soon as possible with Albania, and with North Macedonia as soon as possible once North Macedonia has met the relevant criteria," Pisonero said.

The EU started membership talks with the two Balkan countries in ۲۰۲۲ as the war in Ukraine forced a rethink of the bloc's enlargement process. They became EU candidates two decades ago, although their accession talks never commenced.

But North Macedonia's bid was then delayed by a dispute with Bulgaria over Balkan history, language and culture.

To break the impasse, the previous centre-left government in Skopje accepted a Bulgarian demand to insert in North Macedonia's constitution a reference to a Bulgarian ethnic minority.

However, it lacked the parliamentary majority to effect the change, and Mickoski's new conservative government says it will only amend the constitution if Bulgaria first approves North Macedonia's EU membership.

Mickiski said that it was unfair to link his country's EU prospects with Bulgaria's demand.

"For me, this is a dictate," he said.

"If this is the condition for Macedonia to continue negotiations, then I said that in Brussels — no thanks!"

Those comments were echoed by North Macedonia’s president Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova who used her speech at the UN General Assembly to say the country's path to EU membership was like "waiting for Godot".

Gordana Siljanovska Davkova, President of North Macedonia, addresses the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly, September 26, ۲۰۲۴

Frank Franklin II/Copyright ۲۰۲۴ The AP. All rights reserved.

"To us, membership in the European Union after ۲۰ years of negotiations and ۱۶ positive European Commission reports resembles Mr.

"Just this one condition or just this one concession more," she said.ADVERTISEMENTThe country's EU path was blocked for years by neighbouring Greece over another dispute over history and heritage"Godot, because we have been waiting for him since 2005, always encouraged by international representatives with the refrain. Just this one condition or just this one concession more," she said.

ADVERTISEMENT

The country's EU path was blocked for years by neighbouring Greece over another dispute over history and heritage. It was settled in ۲۰۱۸ after North Macedonia changed its name, from the previous Macedonia, which remains Mickoski's preferred usage.

The main opposition Social Democrats' leader Venko Filipche blamed Mickoski's government for the new setback.

"This is a huge disaster for the future of the citizens," Filipche said. "This is a missed opportunity that will affect many families and a whole new generation."