The delay in the implementation of reforms, camouflaged by Sofia\u2019s request for the inclusion of the Bulgarians in the preamble has led to the growth of euro-skepticism among the citizens of North Macedonia.<\/p>\n
Based on the results of a survey conducted by the Institute for Political Research at the beginning of the month (while the results were published on Sunday), 42.1% of the citizens say they have lost faith that North Macedonia will become part of the European Union. This percentage, in a survey conducted four years earlier by the same institute, was only 22.2%.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, the results of the survey carried out in December of last year by the Center for European Strategy-Eurothink have highlighted the close result in terms of citizens\u2019 confidence if during 2023 North Macedonia will manage to change the Constitution, namely in the preamble to include the Bulgarians, and to continue the negotiation process.<\/p>\n
38% of the surveyed citizens believe that this will happen, while 39% expressed disbelief.<\/p>\n
Speaking to Radio Free Europe, Dimitar Nikolovski from Eurothink says that citizens blaming the international community for the pressure to accept the request for the inclusion of the Bulgarians in the preamble goes in favor of the political elite as it is relieved of the responsibility for the non-implementation of the reforms.<\/p>\n
\u201cPoliticians use this as a kind of justification, and it\u2019s even easier for them to ignore the criticisms addressed by the European Union in relation to the fight against corruption, the independence of the judiciary… essentially, stagnation in terms of realizing reforms,\u201d emphasizes Nikolovski.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, Xhelal Neziri, from the Center for Investigative Journalism, says that the growing euro-skepticism among the citizens of North Macedonia stems from the lack of a clear European perspective for the country. However, he also emphasizes that the incorporation of European values in the governance of institutions remains more problematic.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile we cannot integrate into the EU because of the Bulgarian blockade, we have been able to Europeanize the state. When I say \u2018we\u2019, I mean the political elites, who should have had a stronger political will when it comes to reforms, fight against corruption, and when it comes to the democratization of institutions, but the political elite have camouflaged it with blockades in the integration process,\u201d Neziri tells Radio Free Europe.<\/p>\n
The results of the Center for European Strategy show that the citizens of North Macedonia are of the opinion that the European Union has an incorrect attitude towards the country. This research reveals that 65% of the surveyed citizens consider that the EU\u2019s approach to North Macedonia is blackmailing and unfair, in terms of the request for the amendment of the Constitution, as a condition for the country to continue the integration process.<\/p>\n
However, the Ambassador of the Netherlands to Skopje Dirk Jan Kop, in an interview for Radio Free Europe, emphasizes that the implementation of reforms is the only way that will bring the country closer to the European family.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere will be no new veto. If the preamble is changed, there can be no veto in the second stage. The country must complete the reforms and this is the only way to enter the EU, while the screening process will show what you need to reform and this is much more important than the Bulgarian position,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
For the amendment of the Constitution, two thirds of the votes are needed, i.e., 80 of the 120 deputies of the North Macedonian Assembly. The parliamentary majority has the support of 74 MPs, while the opposition, VMRO-DPMNE is against these changes, seeking guarantees from the international community that this will be the last request from Bulgaria to not block the integration process.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The delay in the implementation of reforms, camouflaged by Sofia\u2019s request for the inclusion of the Bulgarians in the preamble has led to the growth of euro-skepticism among the citizens of North Macedonia. Based on the results of a survey conducted by the Institute for Political Research at the beginning of the month (while the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":54321,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[164],"tags":[297,308,1634,2071,2483,243,151,298],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n