Skopje opposition increases pressure to unblock the stalled EU accession process

The opposition Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM) and the ethnic Albanian Democratic Union for Integration (DUI) have increased their pressure on the VMRO-DPMNE-led governmnent to unblock the stalled EU accession process of North Macedonia.

Venko Filipče, leader of SDSM, presented on 25 September a draft resolution to the Macedonian parliament aimed at unifying national positions to accelerate North Macedonia’s path to European Union membership.

The resolution outlines a strategic roadmap to meet EU requirements while safeguarding the country’s national identity and interests.

North Macedonia’s EU accession process has faced significant hurdles since the SDSM lost power to the VMRO-DPMNE party in the May 2024 elections. The new VMRO-DPMNE-led government, under Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski, has stalled progress on constitutional amendments required for EU negotiations, citing concerns over additional demands from Bulgaria and the need for stronger EU guarantees.

In June 2022, North Macedonia accepted the so-called “French proposal,” a deal brokered during the French EU presidency that allowed the country to begin EU accession talks. The agreement required constitutional amendments to recognise Bulgarians as a state-forming element in the constitution’s preamble and compliance with the 2017 Treaty of Friendship with Bulgaria.

In return, Bulgaria lifted its veto on North Macedonia’s EU path. However, the VMRO-DPMNE government has resisted these changes, while carrying out what Sofia calls an anti-Bulgarian campaign.

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Key points of the SDSM resolution proposal

The resolution, presented by Filipče, proposes a clear timeline for constitutional amendments to include the Bulgarian and other ethnic communities in the constitution.

15–25 November: the government must review the proposed amendments and decide whether to retain the existing text or draft a new version. A new text must be proposed, adopted by the government, and submitted to parliament.
By 15 December: parliament must initiate the constitutional amendment process and complete the first stage of voting.
By 10 February, 2026: the amendment process must be finalized with a final parliamentary vote.
Post-adoption: on the day of the final vote, the government is required to send a letter to EU member states and the European Commission, submitting necessary documents to start negotiations.

The resolution urges the European Commission to organise an intergovernmental conference by 15 February 2026, to unblock negotiations and open the first cluster of accession talks.

The proposed text also includes a draft law outlining the parliament’s role in EU integration negotiations and mechanisms to address any violations of identity-related issues by EU member states. It emphasizes that North Macedonia’s linguistic, cultural, historical, and identity characteristics are non-negotiable and advocates resolving bilateral issues with Bulgaria through equal-footed dialogue, ensuring no new obstacles arise in the EU negotiation process.

Filipče urged all parliamentary parties to support the resolution and avoid exploiting it for political gain ahead of the local elections. “Achieving a national consensus and intensifying reforms will make our EU path unstoppable,” he said. He described the resolution as a collaborative document, open to input from all political parties to foster a unified stance.

Filipče warned that inaction on EU integration would be “ultimately irresponsible,” urging parties to prioritize national interests over political divisions.

Albanian party warns of risks leading to splitting the country

In the meantime Ali Ahmeti, leader of the opposition Democratic Union for Integration (DUI), the most influential Albanian party in North Macedonia, warned Mickoski that deviating from the EU path as a result of the nationalist rhetoric could deepen divisions and end up slitting the country.

Ahmeti stated, “If Macedonia does not continue its path to the EU, citizens will have no choice but to align either with Albania or Bulgaria, both of which are EU members. We must avoid fueling hatred and division.”

Bulgaria is a EUmember since 2007 while Albania is on track to join the EU this decade. North Macedonia’s ethnic composition is diverse, with approximately 25% ethnic Albanians. The Ohrid Framework Agreement, signed in 2001, ended ethnic tensions in North Macedonia by addressing Albanian minority grievances over political representation, language rights, and decentralization, following a brief armed conflict between Albanian insurgents and Macedonian security forces.

Caption: Former Health Minister in the government of Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, Venko Filipče, took over the leadership of the Social Democratic Union /SDSM/ on July 1, 2024. Не is a neurosurgeon who entered politics in 2017. BGNES