North Macedonia's Foreign Minister Timco Mucunski says changing the country's Constitution to include Bulgarians has become politically unacceptable, arguing that Sofia is using its position within the European Union to block Skopje's path toward membership.
In an interview with Politico, Mucunski said North Macedonia remains fully committed to joining the EU and continues to align itself with the bloc's foreign policy positions. However, he argued that despite more than two decades of pursuing membership, the country has made virtually no progress in the accession process.
According to Mucunski, North Macedonia has become an example of how bilateral disputes can derail EU enlargement. He pointed out that Montenegro is advancing toward its goal of joining the bloc by 2028, Albania is moving forward with negotiation chapters, and both Ukraine and Moldova are also making progress, while North Macedonia has yet to open or complete a single negotiation chapter.
The minister blamed Bulgaria for the deadlock, saying Sofia continues to insist that Bulgarians be recognized in North Macedonia's Constitution before accession talks can move forward. Skopje, he said, is unwilling to make that change under the current circumstances, leaving the negotiations at a standstill.
