site.btaEuropean Parliament to Drop All References to "Macedonian Identity", "Macedonian Language" from Skopje's EU Progress Report

The three largest political groups in the European Parliament (EP): the European People's Party (EPP), the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D) and Renew Europe, on Wednesday evening reached agreement on dropping all references to "Macedonian identity" and "Macedonian language" from the EP draft resolution on the North Macedonia progress report, Andrey Kovatchev MEP of EPP said in a Facebook post on Thursday, adding that he expects this amendment to be carried by a majority vote in EP plenary next week. 

Combined, the three political groups hold 399 seats in the 720-place EU legislative body.

"Topics of identity and language are out of place in a report on the progress of a EU candidate country," Kovatchev pointed out. He argued that such topics are merely divisive and open a Pandora's box. "In this particular case, this is confirmed by the persistent appearances of the powerholders in Skopje and especially by Prime Minister Mickoski with his manipulations about 'centuries-old identity and language'," the Bulgarian MEP added.
 
"The undisguised goal of the authorities in Skopje was to demonstrate, on the eve of the local elections, some incredible triumph over the 'eastern neighbour' and thus explain why they would made some surface-scratching amendments to their Constitution and include Bulgarians partially in it," Kovatchev wrote. "Despite the unprecedented pressure and lobbying, such precedent must not become part of reports of the European Parliament or of another European institution," he argued.

"Instead, the Republic of North Macedonia should abide by the treaty signed with Bulgaria and unblock the operation of the historical commission. This is the venue where topics of our common history, as the treaty states," Kovatchev pointed out. He thanks to all his colleagues of all EP political groups and especially to the Bulgarian ones for the consolidated position on this topic.

He was referring to the bilateral Treaty of Friendship, Good-neighbourliness and Cooperation, signed on August 1, 2017, which established a Joint Multidisciplinary Expert Commission on Historical and Educational Issues.

The EP Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) adopted its draft report on the progress of the Republic of North Macedonia to the EU on June 24 by a vote of 40 in favour, 19 against, and 10 abstentions. That version of the report included amendments according to which the EP recognizes a distinct "Macedonian language and identity". AFET prevented the entering of an oral amendment by the EPP Group to insert the qualifier "modern" before "Macedonian language and identity". The EPP, S&D, Renew Europe and the Greens said that they will re-enter the same amendment in writing before the plenary vote in Strasbourg, expected in July.

Sofia has long accused Skopje of whitewashing the two countries' shared history and denying the Bulgarian roots of North Macedonia's language and identity which, as Bulgaria argues, do not predate 1945, when the then Macedonia became a constituent republic of Yugoslavia. For its part, North Macedonia's government argues that their country's separate language and identity have existed for centuries. Bulgaria has stalled its western neighbour's EU accession talks, demanding constitutional and educational reforms as conditions for progress.

According to the draft session agenda, the EP plenary debate on the 2023 and 2024 European Commission reports on North Macedonia is due to be held on July 8, and the vote is scheduled for July 9.