SKOPJE, North Macedonia (AP) — European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen praised North Macedonia’s reform efforts Thursday, but stressed the need for progress on constitutional changes if the country was to make progress with its bid to join the EU.
North Macedonia's dispute with neighbor and EU member Bulgaria has delayed its EU accession process. The previous center-left government agreed to add a reference to a Bulgarian ethnic minority in the constitution to break the impasse, but lacked the parliamentary majority to enact the change.
Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski’s new conservative government maintains it will only amend the constitution if Bulgaria first approves North Macedonia’s EU membership without additional conditions.
“We are almost there, but we know it's about the constitutional change that your country has committed to," von der Leyen told a joint conference with Mickoski in Skopje, while on a six-nation tour of the region.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and fears of broader instability in Europe have added urgency to EU accession bids by Balkan countries seeking entry.
The EU started membership talks with North Macedonia and Albania in 2022, and the bloc recently pushed ahead with Albania’s accession process independently, departing from the previous approach of moving both countries forward together.
Von der Leyen urged cross-party support in North Macedonia for the constitutional amendment. Her regional tour continues with visits to Bosnia Herzegovina, Kosovo, Serbia and Montenegro as the EU seeks to reassure Western Balkan nations of their membership prospects.
Arriving in Bosnia from North Macedonia, von der Leyen went first to Donja Jablanica, a village in central Bosnia that was devastated in recent floods and landslides in the country.
The disaster in early October claimed 27 lives, and the small village was virtually buried in rocks that descended on the village from a quarry located on a hill above.
“It was very important for me to see with my own eyes what happened and how the floods have destroyed the region here so let me assure you we stand by your side and Europe is with you,” said von der Leyen.
Bosnia has sought EU aid and many countries have sent teams to help through the EU's civil protection mechanism.
“We will be with you, your friends and partners,” said von der Leyen. “You are a candidate country to the European Union, you’ve seen that the Civil Protection Mechanism was immediately activated and it is heart-warming to see the volunteers but also the servicemen and servicewomen from different nations being here."