[AP]
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen praised North Macedonia’s reform efforts Thursday, but stressed the need for progress on constitutional changes if the country was to make progress with its bid to join the EU.
North Macedonia’s dispute with neighbor and EU member Bulgaria has delayed its EU accession process. The previous center-left government agreed to add a reference to a Bulgarian ethnic minority in the constitution to break the impasse, but lacked the parliamentary majority to enact the change.
Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski’s new conservative government maintains it will only amend the constitution if Bulgaria first approves North Macedonia’s EU membership without additional conditions.
“We are almost there, but we know it’s about the constitutional change that your country has committed to,” von der Leyen told a joint conference with Mickoski in Skopje, while on a six-nation tour of the region.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and fears of broader instability in Europe have added urgency to EU accession bids by Balkan countries seeking entry.
The EU started membership talks with North Macedonia and Albania in 2022, and the bloc recently pushed ahead with Albania’s accession process independently, departing from the previous approach of moving both countries forward together.
Von der Leyen urged cross-party support in North Macedonia for the constitutional amendment. Her regional tour continues with visits to Bosnia Herzegovina, Kosovo, Serbia and Montenegro as the EU seeks to reassure Western Balkan nations of their membership prospects. [AP]