Bulgaria's Foreign Minister: 'Macedonian Language and Identity' Have No Place in EU Enlargement Criteria

Bulgaria’s Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev has firmly reiterated that the concepts of "Macedonian identity" and "Macedonian language" do not fall within the scope of international law, nor are they subjects of formal recognition or criteria for joining the European Union. According to him, such formulations are not part of the legal or procedural framework that governs EU enlargement and do not appear among the Copenhagen criteria which candidate countries are expected to meet.

Georgiev also emphasized that previous resolutions of the European Parliament regarding North Macedonia have not included such references. He stressed the importance of understanding the institutional structure of the EU, where the Council—comprised of member states’ governments—has direct influence over binding decisions, while the European Parliament functions independently. As outlined in the Treaty on European Union, MEPs are not subject to national mandates or instructions, and the resolutions they adopt do not carry binding legal force for the member states.

This distinction, Georgiev noted, is critical when interpreting political statements or unofficial language used in draft documents, such as the reference to the "Macedonian language." He underlined that any such mention must be read solely within the context of North Macedonia’s own constitution, and cannot be construed as recognition by Bulgaria. This clarification, he said, was a key element of the compromise reached within the EU in July 2022.

Responding to a parliamentary inquiry, the foreign minister also expressed concerns about recent developments surrounding the European Parliament's draft report on North Macedonia. The Bulgarian Foreign Ministry is alarmed by indications of possible unauthorized disclosures of internal EP documents to third parties and instances of unregulated lobbying involving representatives from Skopje. Such irregularities, Georgiev warned, risk undermining the integrity of the European institutions and may play into the hands of rising nationalist rhetoric promoted by North Macedonia’s government.

The Bulgarian position remains consistent: Sofia supports a constructive and rules-based approach to EU enlargement. However, in light of what it sees as unilateral actions by the authorities in Skopje that stall the process, the Bulgarian government stresses the importance of avoiding any steps that could create new tensions or setbacks in the region.

For the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Bulgaria’s diplomatic corps, ensuring strict adherence to the agreements reached within the European framework continues to be a top priority, Georgiev concluded.