About: North Macedonia
Political scientists say EU has lost the battle for the Balkans
The EU has lost the battle for the Balkans, where Russia and China are offering bonuses without asking for reforms, geopolitical experts told an online conference organised by EURACTIV.bg this week, proposing increased cooperation and a Balkan common market as the best way forward.
Slovenian FM: EU inaction in Western Balkans ‘strategically dangerous’
The EU needs to move "as soon as possible" from a wait-and-see approach to a problem-solving strategy in dealing with enlargement and the Western Balkans, Slovenian Foreign Minister Anže Logar told EURACTIV in an interview about the priorities for his country's upcoming EU Council presidency.
The Hungarian bill against the LGBTQI+ minority and North Macedonia’s policy win with UEFA
This week, the Yellow Room takes us to Budapest, where the government passed a new bill introducing tougher penalties for paedophilia, in the wake of several cases of child abuse. However, the new amendments put the LGBTQI+ minority on...
Media freedom in the Western Balkans is a geopolitical issue
The decline in media freedom in the Balkans is eroding the European values of democracy and rule of law and creating a climate ripe for disinformation that is cultivating anti-EU and anti-western sentiment across the region, writes Peter Horrocks.
Facing pressure, Bulgaria tries to explain its North Macedonia veto
Facing pressure from EU members, the Bulgarian ambassador to the EU explained on Tuesday (11 May) to the EU ministers his country’s decision to veto the start of neighbouring North Macedonia's accession negotiations.
EU action awaited as phantom paper further unhinges Western Balkans
A firmer stance from Brussels – noticeably missing last week – against a controversial document proposing border changes in the Western Balkans would help calm the growing anxieties in the region, analysts said. At the same time, regional and international...
Michel silent over unofficial document mulling border changes in Western Balkans
A phantom document proposing controversial border changes across the Western Balkans caused a political storm in the region and in Brussels this week. While most EU officials had little knowledge of the elusive document, the office of European Council President Charles Michel could not deny receiving it. EURACTIV took a closer look
North Macedonia minister: Tensions should ‘naturally decline’ after Bulgarian election
Tensions between North Macedonia and its southern neighbour Bulgaria, which is blocking Skopje's EU membership bid, should "naturally decline" after the 4 April election in Bulgaria and pave the way for an agreement, North Macedonia's Justice Minister Bojan Marichikj told EURACTIV.
MEPs pressure Bulgaria to lift North Macedonia accession veto
MEPs put pressure on Bulgaria on Thursday (25 March) to lift its veto on the opening of accession negotiations with North Macedonia but failed to pass an amendment criticizing the Bulgarian position.
Bring Western Balkans back on the agenda, urge nine EU member states
Nine EU member states have called on the EU’s chief diplomat, Joseph Borrell, to have a strategic discussion on the Western Balkan countries and their prospects when EU foreign ministers meet in April, according to a letter made available to...
Majority of French still against Balkans’ EU integration
Some 59% of French citizens do not see the prospect of the Western Balkans countries' EU accession in a positive light, a new study has found. But it also revealed increasing mistrust toward the bloc overall.
EU enlargement in 2021: Moribund or revenant?
In the Western Balkans, where all EU applicant countries (bar Turkey) are located, the year ahead will be dominated by Europe's quest for a vaccine and efforts to restart the economy in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
North Macedonia slams Bulgaria’s ‘blackmail’ in EU entry process
North Macedonia's foreign minister called on the EU Tuesday (15 December) to end the "blackmail" of his country through the imposition by Bulgaria of fresh obstacles to its membership of the bloc.
EU enlargement: Beware the veto epidemic
Dangling its veto, Bulgaria only uses its position of EU member to achieve some of its foreign policy interests, in the same way that many other have done before. The problem is that the EU does not have the desire and the way to discourage such unilateral actions, writes Orhan Dragaš.
Bulgaria spells out conditions for unblocking North Macedonia’s EU path
Bulgaria vetoed the decision to open EU accession negotiations with North Macedonia on Tuesday (17 November), a move which indirectly also affects Albania, another Western Balkans candidate which has advanced on its EU path in tandem with Skopje.
Eight detained after Vienna attack had previous convictions
Eight of those detained following Monday night's terrorist attack in Vienna had previous convictions, including for terror offences, the Austrian interior minister said Thursday (5 November), as the investigation extended to Switzerland and a second, unnamed country.
Commission seeks to revive enlargement with new package
The European Commission published its long-awaited enlargement package on Tuesday (6 October) in a fresh attempt to revive the stalled process with promises of more substantial economic assistance in exchange for reforms. The package included country-specific reports on the progress of the six Western Balkans countries and Turkey.
Revolutionary hero’s identity stands in the way of Skopje’s EU path
Historic figure Gotse Delchev, considered as a national hero both in Bulgaria and North Macedonia, now appears to stand in the way of Skopje’s EU path. EURACTIV Bulgaria reports.
North Macedonia’s pro-EU SDSM set to win parliamentary vote
North Macedonia's Social Democrats who pledged to take the Balkan country to the EU are set to win the parliamentary vote on Wednesday (15 July), state election commission parliamentary results showed.
North Macedonia heads to election with pace of EU accession at stake
North Macedonia holds a parliamentary election on Wednesday (15 July) that may decide the pace of the country's bid for European Union membership, with the governing pro-EU Social Democrats and the main opposition nationalists locked in a close race.
North Macedonia faces ‘necessary evil’ when voters head to ballot
To choose your leaders or your health? Voters in North Macedonia are facing this conundrum as the country heads towards key elections just as a second wave of the coronavirus is rising.
Skopje declares end of COVID emergency, paving the way for election in July
North Macedonian president announced the end of the state of emergency on Friday (12 June), indicating that general elections in the EU candidate country will go ahead in early July despite a spike in new COVID-19 cases.
Várhelyi: EU hopefuls to conform to bloc’s electoral expectations
Parties in Albania need to deliver a 'crucial' agreement on electoral reform, while North Macedonia's vote must leave sufficient time and possibilities for campaigning, the EU's enlargement chief Olivér Várhelyi said on Tuesday (2 June), outlining the priorities for the two EU hopefuls before accession talks can start.