The European Parliament is preparing to adopt a progress report on North Macedonia’s EU accession that, for the first time, will formally recognize the Macedonian language and national identity, according to Bulgarian news agency BGNES. The move follows a similar resolution passed by the German Bundestag in June 2023, which triggered no official response from Bulgaria.
The recognition marks a symbolic shift in the EU’s stance and is seen as a significant victory for Skopje. The report, expected to be adopted in July, was drafted through cross-party consensus led by Austrian Green MEP Thomas Waitz and coordinated with seven shadow rapporteurs.
However, the step threatens to inflame tensions with Bulgaria and Greece, Euractiv reported, citing diplomatic concerns over the potential regional fallout.
Former Bulgarian Defence Minister Boyko Noev told EUalive that while “no one denies the existence of the modern Macedonian nation and language after 1945,” he accused North Macedonia of “aggressive Macedonism and covert irredentism,” including alleged restrictions on ethnic Bulgarians’ right to self-identify.
Euractiv notes that one of the most contentious issues remains North Macedonia’s implementation of the 2017 bilateral friendship treaty and the work of the joint historical commission—both enshrined in the EU accession framework. Although Bulgaria lifted its veto on opening accession talks, delays in meeting these obligations led to the decoupling of North Macedonia’s and Albania’s accession tracks.
Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski has so far refused to amend the constitution to recognize ethnic Bulgarians as a minority group. In a joint press appearance with European Council President António Costa, Mickoski said: “We cannot amend the constitution at every request without guarantees and tangible results from the other side.”
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, during a visit to Skopje, reaffirmed Brussels’ commitment to what she called “Plan A” for EU enlargement in the Western Balkans. However, she did not rule out exploring “alternative phases” should no progress be achieved.
Noev, who has long been involved in bilateral affairs, criticized the Bulgarian government for passive diplomacy, saying this has allowed Skopje to challenge the EU framework. “If the authorities in Skopje cannot guarantee a European future for ethnic Bulgarians in North Macedonia, then Bulgaria must—by easing citizenship access for those who identify as Bulgarian,” he said.
Meanwhile, tensions appear to be rising on the ground. In Bitola, Ljubcho Georgievski, a Macedonian national of Bulgarian descent, was convicted in a lower court for “promoting fascist ideology” following his public support for controversial historical figure Vanco Mihajlov. In Veles, a businessman with Bulgarian self-identification is facing charges for distributing “racist and xenophobic materials.”
In Sofia, Kostadin Kostadinov, leader of the Eurosceptic party Revival (Vazrazhdane), urged Bulgaria’s Foreign Ministry to step in to protect ethnic Bulgarians in North Macedonia, citing what he described as a growing wave of repression.
“This is no longer a bilateral issue,” said Noev. “Human rights are part of the Copenhagen criteria—mandatory for EU membership—and this is now a matter between Skopje and Brussels, not just with Sofia.”
Despite political frictions, cultural cooperation has continued. A joint theatre production, Without Blood, by the National Theatres of Plovdiv and Veles, won awards in Bulgaria. Sofia also admitted 15 young people for medical treatment following a deadly nightclub fire in Kočani.
As Euractiv concludes, while symbolic gestures matter, resolving the crisis requires sustained political will from both sides—and steadfast engagement from the European Union.