Strong political polarization, parliamentary blockades and the citizens’ lack of trust in state institutions were some of the main concerns the latest Freedom House report raises when it comes to North Macedonia.
This year’s publication called “War Deepens a Regional Divide”, published on May 24th centers around developments of 2022.
The report states that the country is amongst other Western Balkan counties, where citizens are disappointed by the political elites, which fail to advance with the implementation of reforms due to the extreme political polarization taking place. “Strong political polarization and parliamentary blockades hampered the passage of legislation at the national level,” says the report.
Experts in North Macedonia argue that this polarization is likely to continue, with political parties not showing signs of backing up and focusing in realizing obligations to push forward with the integrating process, blaming political leaders for not being responsible enough to overcome their differences.
The document also mentions that the citizens of the Western Balkans are disappointed by the long waiting for European Union membership, stating that there is skepticism that the membership will happen anytime soon. However, citizens still support the idea of one day becoming part of the European bloc.
The report also states that the citizens of the region feel abandoned by local elites who oppose democratic reforms, as well as by international elites that are undecided to follow the accession process.
Experts suggest that this dragging of the process could lead citizens to perceive the European Union as a migration destination, rather than the integration improving the quality of their lives in the countries they live. Delays in the accession process may also lead to “Euro-skepticism” and spread of misinformation from those who oppose the European integration of the Western Balkans.
