Bulgaria calls on EU members to block North Macedonia’s accession bid

Gotse Delchev, here portrayed in Sofia, is considered a national hero in both Bulgaria and North Macedonia. (Wikimedia Commons)

Bulgaria asked the members of the EU to halt North Macedonia’s accession in a memorandum sent on September 17. In the document, Sofia expressed its disapproval for North Macedonia’s claim of a distinct Macedonian ethnic identity and language, maintaining that Skopje’s policies violate the European Neighbourhood Policy.

Though Bulgaria was the first state to accept North Macedonia’s independence after the collapse of Yugoslavia, it never acknowledged the validity of a separate Macedonian ethnicity. Skopje pushed for the recognition of a Macedonian minority in Bulgaria, but Sofia’s official perspective on history prevented this: Sofia holds that a distinct Macedonian identity and language is the product of brainwashing against Bulgarians during Josip Broz Tito’s Yugoslav regime. 

Despite accession negotiations planned for later this year, Sofia has stated that it will block any talks occurring before clearing up these issues. Reiterating that the Macedonian language is a “Communist-era product” and merely a Bulgarian dialect, Sofia demanded that the EU use the phraseology “the official language of the Republic of North Macedonia” rather than calling it “the Macedonian language.”

In the memorandum, Sofia condemned Skopje for allegedly suspending Bulgarian investments into North Macedonia, as well as actively suppressing politicians who discuss the common history of the two states. University of Regensburg History Chair Ulf Brunnbauer claimed that this document showed Bulgaria “pressing its own nationalistic view on the history and culture of another country and its people.”

Another point of contention between Bulgarian and Macedonian leadership became the identity of Gotse Delchev, considered a national hero in both states. While Germany called for an end to the identity conflicts in order to leave the debate to historians, Sofia urged the formation of a bilateral commission to review historical archives and clarify Delchev’s national identity. In response to tensions surrounding history and language, North Macedonian Deputy Prime Minister Nikola labelled cultural identity as not to be dependent upon recognition, especially since “the right to self-determination and self-expression cannot be denied.” 

North Macedonia’s economic ties depend on accession to the EU since the state’s closest economic and political ties remain with member states. However, North Macedonia is currently developing its electricity market along with the potential market coupling with EU members. Moreover, Greece agreed to supply North Macedonia with the COVID-19 vaccine as Greece finalizes a construction agreement for an interconnector gas pipeline between the two states. Depending upon the positions EU member states take in the conflict, tensions regarding accession could put these developments at risk.