BRUSSELS / STRASBOURG — The European Parliament has formally adopted the 2025 progress report on North Macedonia, capturing a critical juncture in the country’s EU integration path. Passed with 411 votes in favor and 120 against, the report presents a highly nuanced picture. While reaffirming the nation’s European perspective, it issues severe warnings regarding domestic reforms, geopolitical vulnerabilities, and the ongoing bilateral stalemate with neighboring Bulgaria.
As an international relations and EU policy analysis, this report highlights the friction between the EU’s geostrategic desires for the Western Balkans and the rigid, merit-based realities of the Copenhagen criteria.
The Diplomatic Core: The Bulgarian Dispute & Constitutional Preconditions
The most politically sensitive element of the plenary session centered on the retention of references to the Second Protocol of the Good Neighborly Agreement with Bulgaria.
- An amendment (Amendment 3) proposed by rapporteur Thomas Waitz sought to delete paragraph 73, which explicitly mentions the Joint Historical Commission and the concept of “shared history”.
- This amendment was defeated, with 338 MEPs voting to retain the paragraph and 126 voting for its deletion.
- Consequently, the report reiterates the Council’s stance that the next intergovernmental conference is contingent upon Skopje adopting the necessary constitutional amendments.
Expert Analysis: From an institutional standpoint, the European Parliament is demonstrating that it will not unilaterally decouple North Macedonia’s accession from its established bilateral commitments. However, the Parliament is attempting a delicate diplomatic balancing act. To soften the blow, the report firmly states that linguistic, cultural, and national identities are foundational and must not be questioned by third parties. Furthermore, it stresses that bilateral disputes should be resolved through open dialogue in good faith and must not be instrumentalized to block the EU accession process.
Institutional Erosion: The Rule of Law as the Achilles Heel
The report’s sharpest criticisms are reserved for the stagnation of internal reforms, particularly concerning the judiciary and anti-corruption frameworks.
- The Criminal Code: The controversial amendments to the Criminal Code are highlighted as a severe regression. By shortening statutes of limitations and reducing penalties for abuse of office, these changes have created a public perception of impunity for high-level political actors.
- Judicial Independence: The Parliament notes deep structural weaknesses, underfunding, and blatant political interference within the judiciary.
- The Implementation Gap: There is a significant, unexplained gap between formally announced corruption investigations and actual guilty verdicts in high-profile cases.
Expert Analysis: This represents a fundamental failure of the core “Copenhagen criteria.” Without a robust, independent judiciary, structural integration into the EU is impossible. The European Parliament is explicitly warning that political manipulation of the legal system is directly jeopardizing the country’s European trajectory.
Geopolitical Vulnerabilities: Foreign Influence and Regional Ties
North Macedonia’s geopolitical landscape is becoming increasingly complex, and the EU is highly alert to external actors exploiting domestic polarization.
- Media and Disinformation: The report raises alarms over coordinated attempts to manipulate public discourse and spread anti-EU narratives. It specifically flags the strategic acquisition of key media outlets by Hungarian actors as a vector for illiberal influence.
- External Powers: The Parliament warns of the growing economic and political influence of China (via infrastructure lending) and Russian efforts to project power in the region.
- Regional Realignments: The report notes with concern the strengthening ties between North Macedonia and the government of Serbia, alongside narratives promoting a “Serbian world” that questions regional sovereignty.
- Historical Transparency: To foster regional accountability, the report strongly advocates for the opening of the Yugoslav secret service archives (UDBA and KOS) held in North Macedonia and Serbia.
The “Silver Lining”: Geostrategic Alignment and Regional Stability
Despite heavy domestic critiques, Skopje receives necessary commendation for its macro-level geopolitical positioning.
- Foreign Policy Alignment: The country’s strong, long-standing alignment with the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy, as well as its strategic importance as a NATO member, are highly praised. However, recent abstentions during important votes in international bodies have caused minor concern in Brussels.
- Regional Integration: North Macedonia is recognized for its stabilizing role in inter-ethnic relations via the Ohrid Framework Agreement. Its participation in the Berlin Process, the Growth Plan, and its integration into the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) are viewed as highly positive steps.
- Infrastructure: There is strong European backing for the strategic Corridor 8, particularly the cross-border railway tunnel connecting North Macedonia to Bulgaria, which is vital for broader regional connectivity.
Conclusion
While the adoption of this report does not alter the direct legal framework of the accession process, it carries immense political weight. As an EU expert, the takeaway is unequivocal: The European Parliament has laid bare a stark reality for Skopje. Progress requires navigating a highly complex bilateral hurdle with Bulgaria, but more pressingly, it demands immediate, genuine political will to eradicate high-level corruption and depoliticize state institutions.
