North Macedonia’s Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski has accused certain EU member states of “bullying” his country by repeatedly blocking its accession process for reasons he describes as political and artificial, rather than based on the EU’s formal criteria.

In an interview with Euronews, Mickoski said North Macedonia remains “in the same place as 25 years ago,” despite being one of the earliest Western Balkan countries to apply for membership.

“Artificial Disputes” Stalling EU Integration

Mickoski argued that the lack of progress is not due to shortcomings in meeting the Copenhagen criteria—standards governing rule of law, democratic governance, and market reforms—but because of disputes imposed by existing member states.

“Not because of fulfilling some objectives, but because of some artificial disputes, such as our national flag, our nation’s name, change of constitution this, change of constitution that,” he said.

He referred to two major obstacles:

• The Greek veto, which lasted for decades and revolved around the country’s former name, “Macedonia.” The issue was resolved in 2018 through the Prespa Agreement, after which Athens lifted its veto once Skopje accepted the new name, North Macedonia.
• The ongoing Bulgarian veto, centered on heritage, language, and minority rights. Sofia insists Skopje adopt constitutional and educational changes acknowledging historical and cultural ties with Bulgaria.

Accusations of Pressure and Unfair Treatment

Mickoski described Bulgaria’s demands as a form of political coercion.

“They are in, we are out. This is a bit of bullying,” he said. “We would like to see ourselves at the table in Brussels, and what is now the price—and whether this is the last price that we should pay.”

He warned that the EU’s approach undermines its own founding principles and creates a precedent that could affect other candidate countries.

“If somebody dares to bully someone else who wants to join the club, why should the other be silent? This is not normal,” he said, adding that such tactics may continue because “it works.”

Calls for Rethinking the Unanimity Rule

Mickoski urged the EU to reflect on whether full unanimity—and the ability of single member states to block accession—remains compatible with the principles of fairness and solidarity.

He questioned why Brussels expects unilateral concessions from North Macedonia while failing to address concerns about the treatment of ethnic Macedonians in Bulgaria.

“Why should we change our constitution then? Why are we not talking about the Macedonian community in Bulgaria? What about their human rights?” he asked. “They are not allowed to register a non-governmental organisation… We’re talking about a sort of reciprocity.”

Public Frustration Growing

Despite the repeated setbacks, Mickoski reaffirmed Skopje’s strategic commitment to EU membership, emphasizing that integration of the Western Balkans would bring “added value” to the Union.

However, he acknowledged rising frustration among ordinary citizens.

“People are asking me: if we do this, will this be the last one? Or will there be additional demands in the future?” he said.

Still Committed to European Values

Mickoski concluded that, despite “humiliations and disappointments,” North Macedonia remains committed to the EU’s founding values.

“We do believe that our future is in the European Union,” he said. “Despite the current frustration inside our citizens, we do share the same values.”