About: North Macedonia
Enlargement Package postponed until autumn, negotiation framework to go ahead in June
Enlargement Commissioner Oliver Várhelyi confirmed to EU lawmakers on Tuesday (19 May) that the publication of the European Commission's enlargement package has been postponed until autumn due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Half-truths and double standards in Skopje’s language politics
The President of North Macedonia has no right to state that the country “doesn’t need the EU” if it has to fulfil Bulgaria's conditionalities regarding the country’s language, because it is doing the same to its own ethnic Albanian citizens, writes Ziadin Sela.
EU and Western Balkan leaders reaffirm ties in veiled response to China, Russia
EU leaders confirmed their "unequivocal support for the European perspective" to their Western Balkans counterparts during a video-summit on Wednesday (6 May). However, the final declaration doesn't make reference to a tangible time frame for the region's accession to the bloc.
EU leaders urge Skopje to solve its historic dispute with Bulgaria
The draft declaration of Wednesday's (6 May) EU summit with the leaders of the Western Balkans, seen by EURACTIV, calls on North Macedonia to find a solution to bilateral disputes in the implementation of the Treaty on Good Neighborhood Relations with Bulgaria.
Russia fumes at North Macedonia’s NATO accession
Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a scathing statement on Wednesday (1 April) seeking to belittle and ridicule North Macedonia's recent accession to NATO.
Balkan hopefuls get green light to start EU talks, conditions still weigh on Tirana
EU ministers on Tuesday (24 March) approved starting membership talks with North Macedonia and Albania, a move hailed as restoring "credibility" after months of damaging delays and bickering.
EU moves to start membership talks with North Macedonia, Albania
The European Council is set to give the green light this week for starting accession talks with North Macedonia and Albania, in a long-awaited move for the Western Balkans after the enlargement process was effectively put on hold last year.
Borissov orders his ministers to obtain Russian coronavirus medicines
Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said on Sunday (22 March) he was impressed by the statements of a Russian official who claimed that his country knows how to control the coronavirus, and that he had ordered his ministers to obtain the Russian medicines.
Pressure on North Macedonia to delay elections over coronavirus
North Macedonia's ex-premier urged the country on Monday (16 March) to postpone a snap poll scheduled for mid-April because of the coronavirus, as governments around the globe struggle to balance basic freedoms with safety measures.
EU hopefuls up climate game in Western Balkans
Montenegro and North Macedonia have both pledged to cut emissions and put a price on pollution, as new initiatives in the two Western Balkan countries aim to align climate policies more and more with EU norms and standards.
North Macedonia wins EU praise for pioneering coal-to-solar shift
The European Union energy watchdog praised North Macedonia on Wednesday (19 February) for a pioneering project among EU aspirants to transform an ageing coal mine into two solar power plants, in line with goals to cut pollution and tackle climate change.
EU in ‘frank’ talks with Western Balkan nations seeking membership
European Council president Charles Michel on Sunday (16 February) met with leaders of the six Western Balkan nations seeking to join the EU, for 'frank' talks ahead of a key summit in Zagreb in May.
North Macedonia ratifies NATO accession protocol, but still waiting for Spain
North Macedonia's parliament unanimously ratified NATO's accession protocol on Tuesday (11 February), taking Skopje a step closer to becoming the military alliance's 30th member in the coming weeks.
Commission tries to breathe new life into EU enlargement
The new enlargement rules presented by the Commission on Wednesday (5 February) are supposed to inject credibility, predictability, dynamism and a political steer into the increasingly moribund process. "This is a geostrategic investment," promised Olivér Várhelyi, the Commissioner for enlargement.
EU set to modify member accession method to placate France
The EU is set to propose ways to modify the accession procedures for countries entering the bloc in a bid to placate France, but Brussels cautioned Tuesday (4 February) that any changes won't be major ones.
Czech FM: Visegrad countries will continue to promote EU enlargement
The Visegrad countries will need some time to close the ditches they have dug in recent years, Foreign Minister Tomáš Petříček told EURACTIV.cz in an interview. He also voiced doubts about the need for a reform of EU membership negotiations, demanded by France, saying the process is already reversible at any stage.
North Macedonia PM Zaev quits before April polls
North Macedonia's Prime Minister Zoran Zaev resigned Friday (3 January) ahead of a vote in April called after the EU blocked the start of membership talks with Skopje, the key policy goal of his cabinet.
Croatia priorities at EU helm: Brexit, enlargement
Brexit and EU enlargement will be priorities during Croatia's six-month presidency of the bloc, Foreign Minister Goran Grlić-Radman said Wednesday (1 January).
Give us hope, give us membership talks, North Macedonia tells EU
The EU must deliver soon on its promise to open membership talks with North Macedonia, the country's foreign minister has told AFP, warning that messages of hope were ringing hollow after three rejections.
Coal pollution in the Western Balkans is a European problem
16 coal plants in the Western Balkans pollute as much as the entire EU fleet of 250 units, causing sickness and deaths across the continent. It’s high time to take action, write Viola von Cramon and Petros Kokkalis.
Athens takes lead to ensure Western Balkans EU path
The Greek government is determined to take all necessary initiatives to ensure that the Western Balkan region’s EU ambition will become a reality soon, the Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Dendias has said.
Harnessing the potential of French proposals for the benefit of Western Balkans
In recent days, the discourse on the Western Balkans’ EU accession has been dominated by discussion of the (in)famous French non-paper, finally explaining the thinking behind the changes in the enlargement methodology announced earlier by President Macron. Milena Lazarevic explains how the French proposal might work.
EU faces rift over enlargement policy after French ‘non’
European Union members wrangled over the rules for joining their club on Tuesday (19 November), after France triggered anger by seeking to postpone bids from Albania and North Macedonia. At the 17-18 October summit, EU heads of state and government...