Milloshoski: Official status of the Macedonian language in the EU could be blocked by any member state’s veto

Antonio Milloshoski, an MP and member of the Executive Committee of OBRM-PDUKM, warns that any European Union member state could block the addition of Macedonian to the list of official EU languages. He argues that the Negotiating Framework does not fully protect the language, as its future official status requires the approval of all member states.

In a Facebook post, he challenged statements by LSDM leader Venko Filipçe that the constitutional amendments and Bulgaria’s demands do not threaten Macedonian identity. Milloshoski stressed that the use of the term “Macedonian language” in the Negotiating Framework does not mean it has been formally added to the EU’s official languages.

To support his argument, the MP cited a declaration Bulgaria submitted to the Council of the EU in July 2022. In it, Sofia clarified that the use of the term “Macedonian language” in the Negotiating Framework should not be understood as recognition of the language by Bulgaria. For Milloshoski, this shows that Bulgaria can still oppose its formal recognition as an official EU language.

He also cited Article 55 of the Treaty on European Union and Article 342 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU, noting that the Council of the EU decides unanimously on official languages. According to him, that requirement gives every member state the ability to block a request to add Macedonian.

Milloshoski attributes the situation to the 2017 Good Neighbourliness Agreement with Bulgaria and the 2022 Protocol. He accused the former LSDM-BDI government of accepting arrangements that, in his view, leave room for further blockages. /Telegrafi/