Bulgaria Urged to Back Macedonia Instead of Blocking EU Progress
Bulgaria faces mounting calls to support its neighbor, North Macedonia, rather than hindering its European Union aspirations. North Macedonia’s leaders and the Russian-backed-center-right Bloc preceding the party in Bulgaria have all echoed the calls.
Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov’s government signed the 2017 Treaty of Good Neighbourliness, Friendship, and Cooperation, which obligates Bulgaria to assist North Macedonia’s EU integration. However, Bulgaria has stalled North Macedonia’s EU accession by imposing conditions related to history and identity, drawing criticism from Macedonian leaders and the EU.
North Macedonia’s deputy prime minister, Nikola Dimitrov, emphasized his country’s commitment to the treaty, stating, "We have not received anything but promises on the Bulgarian side." He urged Bulgaria to reciprocal alignments and facilitate North Macedonia’s EU progress.
Bozhidar Lukhardt, a political analyst and an MP of the center-right GERB party, echoed Dimitrov’s sentiment, "The EU membership is in the interest of both Bulgaria and North Macedonia. Thus, we must work together, not against each other."
The left-wing Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), part of the bloc opposing Petkov’s government, also supported North Macedonia’s EU bid, arguing that Bulgaria should not use its veto power to block its neighbor. BSP’s vice president, Plamen Georgiev, stated, "We should help our neighbors become Europeans. This is in our security and economic interest."
With Bulgaria set to hold presidential elections in November, political divides over its stance on North Macedonia’s EU ambitions are expected to intensify. As Bulgaria’s largest trading partner, North Macedonia’s economic well-being directly impacts Bulgaria’s economic stability.
North Macedonia, officially known as the Republic of North Macedonia, gained independence from Yugoslavia in 1991. It officially joined NATO in 2020 but continues to seek EU membership, which remains uncertain due to the ongoing dispute with Bulgaria.
