Bulgaria faces a campaign in the European Parliament to block Northern Macedonia's EU accession

Bulgaria is in the spotlight after a draft resolution of the European Parliament called on the country to stop blocking the negotiation process of Northern Macedonia's accession to the European Union. The motion, tabled by Austrian Green MEP Thomas Waitz, sparked a wave of criticism and accusations of lobbying and smear campaigns in Sofia, Politico reported.

The resolution, to be voted on next week, calls on Bulgaria to end its veto which is preventing the start of North Macedonia's accession talks with the EU. The dispute between the two countries stems from long-standing differences over history, language and identity, with Bulgaria insisting that North Macedonia must recognise its common historical and cultural roots in order for the talks to proceed. This position has blocked Skopje's path to EU membership since 2020.

Waitz, who is the rapporteur for North Macedonia, stresses in his proposal that Bulgaria should "overcome bilateral disputes" and enable progress on EU enlargement. "The Western Balkans needs a clear membership perspective to stabilise the region and strengthen democracy," Waitz said in a statement to Politico. He added that the blockade is damaging not only to North Macedonia, but also to the credibility of the entire EU.

In Bulgaria, however, the proposal has provoked strong reactions. Members of the ruling coalition and the opposition accused Waitz and other MEPs of lobbying and leading "smear campaigns" against the ground. "This is an attack on our sovereignty and an attempt to dictate to us how to deal with our national interests," said a member of the Bulgarian Parliament from the nationalist VMRO party. Some Bulgarian politicians and media suggest that lobby groups linked to Skopje are behind the resolution, although evidence of this is lacking.

The context of the dispute goes deep into history. Bulgaria claims that the Macedonian language is a dialect of Bulgarian and that Northern Macedonia is appropriating part of Bulgarian history. North Macedonia rejects these claims and accuses Sofia of violating the 2017 Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighbourliness and Cooperation.

Politico/gnews.cz - GH