North Macedonia’s EU accession process remains tied to a constitutional amendment that President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova says she cannot promise without public backing, Euronews reported Nov. 3. She made the remarks at the outlet’s EU Enlargement Summit in Brussels. “How can I promise you that we will change the Constitution?” Euronews quoted her as saying.
The proposed change would add Bulgarians and other communities to North Macedonia’s Constitution. In its July 2022 conclusions, the Council of the European Union made the amendment a condition for convening another intergovernmental conference to complete the opening phase of accession negotiations. The Council said constitutional inclusion could strengthen equal rights for people belonging to minorities and communities.
The change has not been adopted. The Assembly’s Committee on Constitutional Issues endorsed the government proposal by 10-7 in July 2023, according to the legislature’s newsletter. The European Commission said the Assembly’s Aug. 18, 2023, plenary session was put on hold because lawmakers could not secure the required two-thirds majority. Assembly rules also require a majority of lawmakers representing non-majority communities to support amendments affecting community rights.
Euronews also reported that Siljanovska-Davkova said 80% of citizens oppose the proposed change.
North Macedonia applied for EU membership March 22, 2004, received candidate status in December 2005 and held its first intergovernmental accession conference in July 2022, according to the Council.
The European Commission’s 2025 report, covering Sept. 1, 2024, to Sept. 1, 2025, said no attempts were made during that period to adopt the constitutional changes.
