EditEU presses North Macedonia on constitutional amendments amid blocked accession process
North Macedonian foreign minister Timcho Mucunski voiced concerns about the requirement for constitutional amendments
The European Commission has urged North Macedonia to fulfill the remaining requirements for advancing its EU membership bid, emphasising the importance of constitutional changes and adherence to bilateral agreements.
EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos met with North Macedonian foreign minister Timcho Mucunski on 26 August, to discuss the next steps in the country’s EU accession process.
In a statement following the meeting, Kos expressed strong support for North Macedonia’s EU aspirations and commended its alignment with the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy, as well as its contributions to supporting Ukraine. “I had a frank conversation with minister Mucunski about the reforms needed under the Growth Plan and the steps toward EU accession,” Kos said.
She also highlighted North Macedonia’s participation in the recent Growth Plan summit in Skopje, underscoring the country’s commitment to regional cooperation. The EU Commissioner stressed the importance of fulfilling the remaining requirements to facilitate progress in the EU accession process.
Mucunski thanked Kos for her dedication to the enlargement process and emphasised the broad support for EU integration among Macedonian citizens.
However, he voiced concerns about the requirement for constitutional amendments, particularly those related to recognising the Bulgarian minority in North Macedonia’s Constitution.
In an interview with Politico, Mucunski also stated, “We will not proceed with these changes unless the EU provides specific and firm guarantees that this will be the final demand.”
He expressed apprehension about potential future demands from Bulgaria on sensitive issues such as history, identity, and language, saying, “What happens if, six months after we amend the Constitution, Bulgaria returns with new conditions?”
Politico framed Minister Mucunski’s request for constitutional changes as a “Bulgarian” demand, when it is, in fact, an EU requirement, as confirmed by Marta Kos. Following the 2022 so-called “French” agreement, negotiated during French presidency of the Council of the EU, Bulgaria lifted its veto on Skopje starting accession negotiations, while in return North Macedonia agreed to change its constitution to include the Bulgarian minority. The EU serves as the guarantor of the agreement’s implementation.
Bulgaria has accused North Macedonian authorities of deliberately fostering an anti-Bulgarian atmosphere and using state institutions to marginalise and stigmatise ethnic Bulgarians.
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The constitutional amendments are part of the EU’s Negotiating Framework, agreed by all member states in 2022, which also incorporates conditions from the 2017 Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighborliness, and Cooperation with Bulgaria. These include Skopje’s commitment to recognise Bulgarians as a state constituent ethnic group in North Macedonia’s constitution, combating hate speech, and ensuring compliance under bilateral agreements such as the Prespa Agreement with Greece. The framework also stipulates that the European Commission will monitor North Macedonia’s progress and report to the EU Council.
Bulgaria lifted its veto on North Macedonia’s EU accession in July 2022, following a two-year blockade, on the condition that Skopje meets four key requirements: respecting the good-neighborliness agreement, including Bulgarians in the Constitution, avoiding recognition of a “Macedonian language” during the accession process, and securing European guarantees for Skopje’s compliance. Additionally, the protocol from the 2022 Joint Intergovernmental Conference addresses issues such as countering hate speech against Bulgarians, rehabilitating victims of the communist regime of former Yugoslavia, and opening Yugoslav-era secret service archives.
Back in June, Bulgaria has officially reassured North Macedonia that it will not set any new conditions for the country’s EU accession beyond the constitutional amendments required to include the Bulgarian minority.
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Last June, during the European Council meeting in Brussels, Bulgarian Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov met with President Antonio Costa. Zhelyazkov emphasised that Bulgaria would maintain its stance without imposing new conditions or “bilateralising” the process. He underscored that the implementation of the 2022 compromise, which requires constitutional amendments in North Macedonia to include the Bulgarian community, remains a critical prerequisite for initiating the negotiation process.
Mucunski criticized in his interview with Politico the 2022 agreement, negotiated by the former government in Skopje, calling it “one of the most damaging documents in our history”.
Despite this, Mucunski stressed that North Macedonia remains committed to other EU-mandated reforms, such as strengthening governance and the rule of law, which he described as essential for building a stronger society.
Both the European Commission and the European Council have firmly rejected any attempts to renegotiate the 2022 agreements. In a recent statement, the heads of these institutions reiterated “There is no plan B. North Macedonia must fulfill what was agreed in 2022.”
The minister also raised concerns about “selective enlargement,” noting the faster progress of Ukraine and Moldova’s EU candidacies. “While we understand the strategic need to open doors to Ukraine, the most effective investment in European stability would be to integrate the entire Western Balkans region,” Mucunski argued. He cautioned that prioritising certain candidates could undermine the enlargement process.
Caption: EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos met with North Macedonian Foreign Minister Timcho Mucunski on 26 August 26, to discuss the next steps in the country’s EU accession process. [Europe by Satellite].
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Updated: August 27, 2025 - 14:30
