Bulgaria - North Macedonia Dispute

04122023_pvrsm_kovachevski_izjava_liderska_sredba_4.jpg

North Macedonia will hold double presidential and parliamentary elections in late April and early May, the leaders of the political parties agreed on Monday.

Young-people-hold-Bulgarian-and-North-Macedonia-flags-Photo-EPA-EFE-GEORGI-LICOVSKI-1280x721.jpg

Macedonians in Albania say Bulgaria is trying to get them to identify as Bulgarians, broadening a row with Skopje over history, language and identity.

North Macedonia’s opposition VMRO DPMNE party leader Hristijan Mickoski accused his predecessor, fugitive ex-premier Nikola Gruevski, of conspiring to help the current government push through constitutional changes and divide the opposition.

Corruption-fighting NGOs urge President to block abruptly-adopted criminal law amendments that would make life easier for former public officials caught up in serious criminal cases.

North Macedonia's parliament has launched ten days of debate on an all-important constitutional change that would name Bulgarians among the country's founding peoples – a proposal the opposition is resisting.

Some two years after it was suggested that Sofia could end its obstruction of Skopje’s EU membership bid if North Macedonia’s constitution is changed to cite Bulgarians as one of the country’s ‘constitutive peoples’, the process is now moving forward.

Opposition leader rebuffs claims that it is ready to endorse government-backed constitutional changes needed for the country’s EU accession.

BIRN delves into the modest money and limited activity behind three ‘cultural clubs’ in North Macedonia and Bulgaria that have nonetheless poured fuel on the fire of a long-running bilateral dispute.

Opposition in North Macedonia says the expert commission tasked with drafting constitutional changes naming Bulgarians among the country’s constitutive peoples lacks credibility.

Historians from Bulgaria and North Macedonia are trying to find common ground on thorny issues of history and education - those in Sofia believe their Macedonian counterparts are being led by “myths” perpetuated by political and religious leaders.