The European Parliament on Wednesday adopted its annual progress report on North Macedonia for 2023 and 2024, removing references to the Macedonian language and identity following the approval of several contested amendments.
The final report was passed with 461 votes in favour, 121 against and 107 abstentions. Amendments that sought to delete mentions of “Macedonian language and identity” gained broad support during the plenary session. The report was drafted by Austrian MEP Thomas Waitz and adopted with 421 votes in favour.
The amendments were submitted jointly by MEPs Andrzej Halicki (EPP), Kathleen Van Brempt (S&D) and Dan Barna (Renew Europe). Seventeen other amendments, including some filed by Bulgarian and Greek MEPs, were rejected. Among those dismissed was a Greek amendment demanding that references instead use the term “of North Macedonia,” in line with the Prespa Agreement.
In a written statement, rapporteur Waitz acknowledged North Macedonia’s progress, praising its commitment to EU values, including the historic name change and significant reforms. However, he said the country’s EU path has been “unfairly blocked for too long due to bilateral disputes,” fuelling public frustration with the EU.
Waitz stressed that including the Macedonian language and identity in the draft report was “not a mistake,” but said the final vote reflects the democratic process within the Parliament. He urged Skopje to proceed swiftly with constitutional amendments that would enshrine the Bulgarian minority in the preamble — a condition for advancing EU accession talks.
The report also expressed concerns over growing Russian and Chinese influence in North Macedonia and the wider Western Balkans. One amendment flagged hybrid threats, strategic corruption and opaque financial flows from Moscow and Beijing, warning that certain loan agreements could deepen dependence on China. MEPs noted a recent loan from Hungary’s Eximbank, reportedly linked to Chinese funding.
Additional amendments highlighted Chinese state actors paying for sponsored content in North Macedonian media and Russian disinformation operations using Serbian outlets to spread anti-NATO narratives and pressure Skopje over its national identity.
The report reiterates that EU enlargement must remain merit-based, with North Macedonia expected to implement further reforms in public administration, governance, rule of law and anti-corruption measures. MEPs voiced concerns about high-level corruption and weak public trust in the judiciary, calling for stronger judicial independence and accountability.
Speaking after the vote, Waitz called on all political forces in North Macedonia to engage in constructive dialogue to achieve consensus on outstanding reforms and strengthen the country’s multi-ethnic democracy.
The vote follows heated debate, with Bulgarian MEPs arguing that identity issues should be kept out of the enlargement report, accusing Macedonian politicians of stoking nationalist rhetoric. Slovenian MEP Irena Joveva, herself of Macedonian heritage, addressed the chamber in Macedonian, telling Bulgarian lawmakers that the Macedonian people do not need anyone’s permission to exist.
The vote had initially been scheduled for June 4 but was postponed amid intense lobbying by Bulgarian representatives, who objected to two references to the Macedonian identity in the draft.