Navigating Challenges: How Bilateral Disputes influence Domestic Reforms in North Macedonia’s EU Journey

The path to European Union membership is complex and multifaceted, involving rigorous evaluations of political, economic, and legal standards. However, in recent years, the process has seen an increasing influence of bilateral relations between candidate countries and individual EU member states. This phenomenon has brought a lot of challenges, particularly for countries like North Macedonia. The panel discussion aims to unravel the complexities surrounding the influence of bilateral issues on North Macedonia’s internal political dynamics and domestic reforms. The panel will highlight the challenges and setbacks in implementing and sustaining essential reforms by examining specific cases like the Prespa Agreement with Greece and ongoing issues with Bulgaria. A critical part of the discussion will assess the role of the EU and its institutions in managing these bilateral issues, evaluate current EU mechanisms, identify their strengths and weaknesses, and explore ways to enhance them to better support candidate countries like North Macedonia. The discussion should lead to increased awareness, strategic insights, and concrete actions that support North Macedonia’s EU aspirations.