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Significance
North Macedonia’s government and EU member states have welcomed a framework proposed in the final days of France’s EU Council presidency for opening EU accession talks with Skopje. Bulgaria has blocked setting a date for starting talks since 2020, owing to a dispute over language and history.
Impacts
High support for EU membership in North Macedonia is likely to keep falling, having been in continuous decline during Bulgaria’s blockage.
Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic, who enjoys considerable popularity in North Macedonia, has welcomed the French proposal.
The pro-Russian Levica party is among forces leading the protests against the proposal, which would appear to serve Moscow’s interests.
Keywords:
North Macedonia,
EUR,
Bulgaria,
EU,
France,
BULGARIA/NORTH MACEDONIA,
international relations,
politics,
social,
foreign policy,
government,
integration,
protest,
talks,
ethnic,
language,
nationality,
opposition,
party
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2022
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