EU Commissioner Marta Kos says constitutional reforms are essential before North Macedonia can start accession talks

EU enlargement commissioner Marta Kos visited Skopje and praised the Macedonian government's recent progress on key reforms, describing the country as one of the best performers under the EU Growth Plan. She emphasized that the European Union will not provide pre‑accession guarantees; instead, it expects trust and full implementation of commitments.

Kos warned that without constitutional amendments, the formal start of accession negotiations cannot proceed. She urged the current government to begin the required constitutional changes and warned that any new demands from existing member states, such as Bulgaria, could further delay the process.

Former Macedonian ambassador Nano Ruzhin echoed the message, noting that the EU’s stance treats the issue as a bilateral matter with Bulgaria rather than a multilateral obstacle, and called for intensified dialogue with Sofia. The visit highlighted ongoing disputes with Bulgaria over historical and linguistic issues, which remain a political hurdle.

Overall, the commissioner's statements underline that while reforms are advancing, the path to EU membership remains contingent on constitutional changes and the resolution of bilateral disputes.