Mucunski: North Macedonia Deserves a Fair and Predictable Path Toward the EU

Timčo Mucunski, North Macedonia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, said in an interview with Politico’s “Brussels Playbook” that his country deserves a credible, fair and predictable path toward full membership in the European Union.

According to the Politico article, the country has held EU candidate status since 2005 and is fully aligned with the Union’s foreign policy. However, two decades later, it is still waiting for accession negotiations to begin in earnest.

Mucunski acknowledged that the lack of political results has at times caused considerable frustration. He also said the country has become a “case study” in how bilateral disputes can block the European Union’s enlargement process.

Politico notes that other candidates have made progress: Montenegro is advancing rapidly toward membership, Albania has completed the first three negotiating chapters, while Ukraine and Moldova are moving forward in the negotiation process. Meanwhile, North Macedonia has not closed a single chapter in more than 20 years.

“To say that we have been treated unfairly is an understatement,” Mucunski said.

According to the minister, the proposal to amend the Constitution has become a politically toxic issue because “too many” concessions have been made. He added that Macedonians are tired of the “constant shifting of the goalposts” and do not believe that Bulgaria will refrain from making new demands.

“This is an absolute abuse of the position of a European Union member state,” Mucunski said.

He drew a parallel with relations between Ireland and the United Kingdom, saying that their complex differences might not have been overcome without shared membership in the European Union.