Brussels, 4 June 2025 (MIA) – EP rapporteur for the country, MEP Thomas Waitz has proposed that the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) should postpone voting on the country’s report. The vote has been rescheduled for June 24.

The document highlights the need to maintain momentum and credibility of the EU integration process stressing that the country continues to demonstrate commitment to the EU integration process and alignment with the EU’s policies. 

The EP "encourages all political parties in North Macedonia to engage in constructive dialogue to achieve the necessary consensus on these amendments, which would strengthen the country’s multi-ethnic character and accelerate its progress towards EU membership," according to the report.

In the report, seen by MIA in March, North Macedonia will be urged to intensify efforts to strengthen the rule of law and judicial independence, counter corruption, reform its public administration and improve the transparency and concentration of media ownership. 

It is also noted that democratic institutions in North Macedonia work "satisfactorily" but political polarisation remains a stumbling block to necessary reforms.

A total of 313 amendments were submitted to the draft-report with some incorporating new contents or assessments.

Amendments referring to Macedonian language and identity have drawn attention. MEP Waitz himself and AFET chairman, German MEP David McAllister, proposed amendments with almost identical content: “Since the EU has consistently shown its recognition of the Macedonian language and identity.”

Dutch MEP Thijs Reuten also proposes an amendment saying “Having in mind the consistent recognition of Macedonian language and identity by the EU.” Reuten also proposes another amendment: “with full respect of Macedonian language and identity.” Waitz proposed an amendment to the same article – “and full respect of Macedonian language and identity.”

MEPs Dan Barna, Urmas Paet and Petras Auštrevičius have proposed a joint amendment to be included in the text, which says: “and full recognition of Macedonian identity and language.”

Croatian MEPs Karlo Resler and Davor Ivo Stier propose a new article: “Reaffirms the importance of the unequivocal recognition and respect for the Macedonian language and identity as an integral part of the country's heritage, constitutional order, but also of European values; notes that the European institutions, in their country reports and official documents, consistently refer to the Macedonian language in accordance with the international recognition and implementation of the Prespa Agreement; reaffirms that respect for linguistic, cultural and national identity is a fundamental component of the EU accession process and a cornerstone of democratic societies, which will be further confirmed by accession to the family of European nations.”

At Tuesday’s session of the European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs, European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos offered to help facilitate talks between Bulgaria and North Macedonia to find a solution to what she called "the bilateral issue" stalling North Macedonia's official start of talks with the EU.

Bulgarian MEP Stanislav Stoyanov from the nationalist Revival party pointed out that in 2022, Bulgaria had lifted the veto on North Macedonia, unblocking the country's accession process.

On Waitz's draft report on the country, Stoyanov said "some information had leaked" during its preparation, which had prompted Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski to "express dissatisfaction" with some of the amendments submitted to the report.

Stoyanov said MEPs had also learned about unscheduled meetings between the rapporteur and the Macedonian authorities.

In response to the questions, Kos said she would not comment on any leaks from the European Parliament regarding the country report because this was not an issue the European Commission needed to deal with.

MIA file photo