Tuesday

3rd Oct 2023

Bulgaria dangles hope on EU enlargement veto

  • Former Bulgarian prime minister Boyko Borissov (Photo: European People's Party)
Listen to article

Bulgaria has raised hope of an impending breakthrough in the EU's Western Balkans enlargement by endorsing a French blueprint for North Macedonia accession talks.

The ray of sunshine came when Bulgaria's Gerb opposition party, led by former prime minister Boyko Borissov, backed the French conditions on Wednesday (22 June).

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Become an expert on Europe

Get instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

His decision meant MPs in Sofia had a likely majority to vote on opening talks.

The cross-party support came despite the fact Bulgarian prime minister Kiril Petkov was defenestrated in a no-confidence vote the same day in a row on anti-corruption reforms.

If North Macedonia also accepts the French blueprint, the accession talks would mark the EU's first major step forward in the Western Balkans after years of enlargement stagnation — and amid fears of a grim Russian renaissance in the region.

"Russia's unjustified and unprovoked military aggression against Ukraine is having a significant impact on the entire European continent," a French draft for the North Macedonia accession talks, dated 17 June, said.

The EU Commission thanked Borissov for his "historical decision" on Wednesday, while urging him to make the "necessary proposals to parliament today so Europe can move forward".

But if Bulgaria votes 'Yes', then North Macedonian prime minister Dimitar Kovačevski will also have to get the deal through parliament.

And that means it would be premature for French president Emmanuel Macron to celebrate at his Western Balkans summit in Brussels on Thursday.

Bulgaria has been vetoing North Macedonia since 2020 in a toxic dispute on the purportedly Bulgarian origins of North Macedonia's culture and language.

And Kovačevski does not have the two-thirds majority he needs for an affirmative vote, while the nationalist VMRO-DPMNE opposition party has spoken out against Macron's plan.

There must be "clear protection of Macedonian identity" in the EU negotiating framework, Kovačevski said on Wednesday.

"Historical issues cannot be criteria," and Sofia mustn't try to smuggle them into a "bilateral protocol that has not yet been harmonised with Bulgaria", he added.

The French negotiation framework for the accession talks, which was leaked in Balkan media, says: "Macedonia will adopt through an inclusive process an Action Plan dedicated to the protection of the rights of persons belonging to minorities".

It also speaks of a "roadmap" and a "unilateral declaration on the Macedonian language" to be issued by North Macedonia.

The Action Plan and roadmap, which are still being finalised between Skopje and Sofia, are expected to contain prickly Bulgarian terms.

These include North Macedonia amending the preamble of its constitution to make mention of Bulgarians, Croats, and Montenegrins as national minorities.

"Implementation of this roadmap and Action Plan will be constantly monitored and regularly addressed at the Intergovernmental conferences [IGCs] throughout the process," the French draft proposal said.

And all this meant "the first IGC [opening the accession talks] might just be a photo-op, if Bulgaria was still able to veto every further step in the process [over historical issues]," a European diplomatic source said.

There must be "strong assurances from both Bulgaria and the European Union that Bulgaria will not make new conditional demands" during the talks, Kovačevski said.

Kovačevski as well as the Albanian and Serbian leaders had threatened to boycott Thursday's Western Balkans summit in protest at the stalemate.

Albania's accession talks are linked to North Macedonia's in the intricate EU procedure.

But the mood further improved on Wednesday when they said they would attend the summit after all.

The draft French statement for the first IGC, if it ever goes ahead, said: "This is a historic moment for us all, which marks a milestone in the evolution of our relationship".

"Your country [North Macedonia] is part of European history, heritage and culture, and we look forward to further intensifying our already well-established ties," it said.

Meanwhile, Western Balkan and EU leaders also plan to call "for the acceleration of the EU integration process" in a summit statement in Brussels on Thursday.

They aim to highlight "the urgency of making tangible progress" in "the normalisation of relations between Serbia and Kosovo".

But the EU is to give nothing to Bosnia, which, together with Kosovo, don't even have EU accession "candidate" status — the first step in the process, some 19 years after it began.

Feature

15 years on: How are Bulgaria and Romania doing in the EU?

The latest European Commission health report puts the pair of south-eastern EU accession states last in terms of the overall lifespan of their citizens. Romanians and Bulgarian now die even younger than before.

Bulgaria mental-health patients found covered in flies

Neglect in Bulgarian state psychiatric hospitals and social care homes have led to degrading and inhumane conditions, says a report. It is the first time a public statement condemning such abuse has been made among the Council's 47 member states.

Hurdles remain for Schengen hopefuls Bulgaria and Romania

The European Commission is mounting pressure for Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia to join passport free Schengen area. On Wednesday (16 November), it presented a 13-page document explaining why they should become part of the zone next January.

Column

Northern Europe — the new Nato/Russia frontline

The world has changed, not least in northern Europe, which is rapidly becoming one of the new frontlines between Nato and Russia. It is sometimes said that even the largest avalanche is caused by something small. Watch Northern Europe

Opinion

The EU-Kenya free trade deal shows a waning 'Brussels effect'

EU trade commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis popped a bottle of champagne in early June 2023. After the failed ratification of an Economic Partnership Agreement with the East African Community in 2016, he finally could declare success. However, there's little to celebrate.

Latest News

  1. EU demands 'full clarity' from Warsaw on visa-scandal
  2. EU reveals 10 'critical tech' in bid to de-risk from China
  3. EU Commission at a loss over latest snub from Tunisia
  4. Northern Europe — the new Nato/Russia frontline
  5. The EU-Kenya free trade deal shows a waning 'Brussels effect'
  6. Hoekstra pledges to phase-out fossil fuel subsidies
  7. 10 years on from the Lampedusa shipwreck — what's changed?
  8. EU ministers go to Kyiv to downplay fears on US, Slovak aid

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of MinistersThe Nordic Region is stepping up its efforts to reduce food waste
  2. International Medical Devices Regulators Forum (IMDRF)Join regulators, industry & healthcare experts at the 24th IMDRF session, September 25-26, Berlin. Register by 20 Sept to join in person or online.
  3. UNOPSUNOPS begins works under EU-funded project to repair schools in Ukraine
  4. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsGeorgia effectively prevents sanctions evasion against Russia – confirm EU, UK, USA
  5. International Medical Devices Regulators Forum (IMDRF)Join regulators & industry experts at the 24th IMDRF session- Berlin September 25-26. Register early for discounted hotel rates
  6. Nordic Council of MinistersGlobal interest in the new Nordic Nutrition Recommendations – here are the speakers for the launch

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of Ministers20 June: Launch of the new Nordic Nutrition Recommendations
  2. International Sustainable Finance CentreJoin CEE Sustainable Finance Summit, 15 – 19 May 2023, high-level event for finance & business
  3. ICLEISeven actionable measures to make food procurement in Europe more sustainable
  4. World BankWorld Bank Report Highlights Role of Human Development for a Successful Green Transition in Europe
  5. Nordic Council of MinistersNordic summit to step up the fight against food loss and waste
  6. Nordic Council of MinistersThink-tank: Strengthen co-operation around tech giants’ influence in the Nordics

Join EUobserver

Support quality EU news

Join us