2021 North Macedonia: Is EU heading towards its next historical mistake?
2021 North Macedonia: Is EU heading towards its next historical mistake?

Author(s): Not Specified Author
Subject(s): Politics, Governance, Government/Political systems, International relations/trade, EU-Accession / EU-DEvelopment, Geopolitics
Published by: IFIMES Mednarodni inštitut za bližnjevzhodne in balkanske študije
Keywords: North Macedonia; 2021; EU; historical mistake; politics;
Summary/Abstract: Since the fall of the VMRO-DPMNE regime and the Nikola Gruevski - Saso Mijalkov duo, the Republic of North Macedonia has made historical steps forward in its national and social-political development. Upon their arrival to power, Prime Minister Zoran Zaev and the Social-Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM) had to face the problems of inherited crime and corruption, which were present in all pores of life. Zoran Zaev pursued the policy of having “zero” problems with the neighboring countries. As a result, North Macedonia and Bulgaria signed the treaty of friendship, good-neighborliness and cooperation. Later, on 17 June 2018, North Macedonia signed an agreement with Greece (“Prespa Agreement”) on modification of the constitutional name of the Republic of Macedonia to the Republic of North Macedonia. After that, the Republic of North Macedonia became a full-fledged member of NATO on 27 March 2020. The law on the use of languages, which promotes use of languages of other ethnic communities, was adopted. This provided for fulfillment of the all the key goals set by the new Macedonian government headed by Prime Minister Zaev- except one. Specifically, the opening of accession talks with the EU. In the meantime, North Macedonia achieved another major foreign-policy milestone-chairmanship of the OSCE in 2023.

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