North Macedonia has made limited progress toward EU membership, with the European Commission warning of persistent political polarisation, stalled reforms, and backsliding in key areas such as the judiciary, corruption, and environmental protection.
In its 2025 Enlargement Report, the Commission said Skopje’s institutions remain stable but politically divided, delaying essential EU-related reforms and key appointments. No progress was made on implementing recommendations by the OSCE and Venice Commission to improve electoral integrity, while constitutional amendments required to advance accession talks remain pending.
The report found that the independence of the judiciary continues to be undermined by political interference and pressure from Parliament. Corruption remains widespread, with no progress recorded in prevention or prosecution of high-level cases. The Commission cited the March 2025 nightclub fire in Kochani, which killed 62 people, as evidence of systemic governance failures and weak enforcement.
Public administration reform also lagged behind schedule, with delayed implementation of the new Organic Budget Law and low transparency in budgeting and recruitment. Fiscal consolidation has been postponed, while efforts to formalise the informal economy have stalled.
The EU’s executive criticised slow progress in environmental reform, citing weak enforcement of pollution and waste laws and a lack of accountability for environmental crimes.
Still, the report acknowledged areas of progress. North Macedonia maintained full alignment with the EU’s foreign and security policy, including sanctions on Russia, and engaged actively in the Western Balkans Growth Plan. Reforms in digitalisation, vocational education, and customs modernisation also moved forward, while inter-ethnic relations remained stable under the Ohrid Framework Agreement.
Overall, the Commission concluded that Skopje must “accelerate EU-related reforms through cross-party cooperation” to prevent further delays in accession negotiations.