European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos has said that Macedonia needs to implement constitutional changes recognizing Bulgarians among the communities included in the country’s Constitution in order to move forward in its European Union accession process. Speaking to Bulgarian National Television in Strasbourg, Kos said cooperation between the European Commission and Bulgaria’s new government could help create conditions for progress, while emphasizing that Macedonia has commitments it is expected to fulfill.
Kos said the issue should be viewed within the broader opportunity created by the EU’s current enlargement agenda. She expressed support for continuing Macedonia’s European path and said she expects the Bulgarian government to cooperate with European institutions. At the same time, she stressed that the constitutional changes are part of commitments previously agreed in the EU accession framework.
Constitutional Changes Remain Central to Macedonia’s EU Path
The constitutional issue is connected to a decision taken by EU member states in 2022, when the Council approved the negotiating framework for Macedonia. Under the agreed approach, the country is expected to make constitutional amendments that would include citizens belonging to other peoples living within the country’s borders, including Bulgarians. The European Commission has continued to refer to this commitment in its assessments of Macedonia’s progress.
Macedonia formally began accession negotiations with the European Union in July 2022, but the process has not advanced to the opening of the first negotiating cluster. The European Commission has said that further action is required on the relevant opening benchmarks and reforms before the next stage can move forward. The constitutional amendments are therefore one part of a wider set of conditions connected to the country’s accession process.
The issue has become politically sensitive inside Macedonia. The government of Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski has repeatedly argued that constitutional changes should be accompanied by clearer guarantees about the predictability of the country’s EU accession process. In its government programme, the government said it would seek a solution that would allow European integration to progress while protecting what it describes as the Macedonian identity, language and distinctiveness and avoiding what it considers additional bilateral conditions during negotiations.
That position differs from the interpretation presented by the European Commission. EU officials have continued to describe the constitutional changes as a commitment already incorporated into the accession framework rather than as a newly introduced condition. The Commission’s 2025 assessment stated that Macedonia had not yet taken the relevant constitutional steps and called for further action to enable progress toward opening the first negotiating cluster.
Kos has also emphasized that Macedonia’s EU path involves more than the constitutional question. During her July 2026 visit to Skopje, she discussed the country’s Reform Agenda, rule of law reforms, democratic institutions and gradual integration into the EU. The Commission said at the time that Macedonia had received €142.1 million through the Reform and Growth Facility following progress on reforms connected to the EU’s Growth Plan for the Western Balkans.
Rule of law reforms remain another important part of the accession process. The European Commission’s 2026 Rule of Law reporting said progress in areas such as judicial independence, institutional effectiveness and the fight against corruption affects the pace of accession negotiations. The Commission has stressed that candidate countries must meet broader political and legal standards rather than relying on a single reform to advance toward membership.
EU Enlargement and the Macedonia-Bulgaria Dispute
For the European Union, the broader enlargement process is based on the principle that candidate countries advance according to their progress in meeting membership requirements. The Commission describes the process as merit based, with political criteria including democracy, the rule of law, human rights and protection of minorities. Economic requirements and the ability to adopt and implement EU legislation are also part of the accession process.
The relationship between Macedonia and Bulgaria has an additional layer because bilateral disputes have previously affected the country’s European integration process. The 2022 EU framework followed a period of disagreement between Skopje and Sofia over historical, cultural and identity related issues. By incorporating the constitutional amendment commitment into the EU process, the issue became directly connected to Macedonia’s accession negotiations.
For Sofia, the inclusion of Bulgarians in Macedonia’s Constitution has been presented as an important step concerning the rights and recognition of the Bulgarian community. For Skopje, however, the issue has remained politically contentious, particularly over concerns about whether accepting the amendment could lead to further bilateral demands. These differing perspectives help explain why the constitutional question continues to be one of the most sensitive issues in Macedonia’s EU debate.
Kos’s latest comments come as the EU itself is placing renewed emphasis on enlargement. The European Commission has described enlargement as an important strategic priority and has continued working with Western Balkan countries on reforms and gradual integration. Macedonia remains officially an EU candidate country, with its Stabilization and Association Agreement in force since 2004.
The European path also carries practical economic implications for Macedonia. Through the Growth Plan and related funding mechanisms, the EU is providing financial support linked to reforms and closer economic integration. The Commission has said that gradual integration into the Single Market and progress in the rule of law can help strengthen institutions, attract investment and expand economic opportunities.
The latest statement from Kos does not establish a new deadline for Macedonia or announce a new agreement between Skopje, Sofia and Brussels. Instead, it reinforces the European Commission’s existing position that the constitutional amendments remain an important step in the country’s accession process. At the same time, the comments underline the EU’s interest in maintaining dialogue with both Macedonia and Bulgaria rather than treating the issue solely as a bilateral dispute.
Ultimately, Macedonia’s EU accession path remains dependent on several interconnected factors, including constitutional changes, rule of law reforms, political dialogue and the implementation of other commitments within the negotiating framework. Kos’s comments highlight the continued importance Brussels places on the constitutional issue, while the position of the Macedonian government shows that significant political debate over the timing and conditions of the amendment remains.
The coming period will therefore be important for determining whether the two sides can find a way forward. For the EU, the constitutional commitment is part of the agreed accession framework; for Macedonia’s government, securing a predictable and clearly defined path toward membership remains a central concern. How those positions are reconciled will influence the next stage of the country’s long running effort to join the European Union.
