The EP report has been adopted, Vajs: The country’s accession has been unjustly blocked for too long due to bilateral disputes
Strasbourg – The European Parliament today adopted the report of Austrian MEP Thomas Weiss on the country for 2023 and 2024 with 461 votes in favor, 121 against, and 107 abstentions.
In a written statement after the vote, Weiss pointed out that the country is a leader in the region, demonstrating a true commitment to EU values, including the historic name change and bold reforms.
– However, its accession has been unjustly blocked for too long due to bilateral disputes, fueling public frustration and disappointment with the EU, Weiss said in the statement.
He noted that the report emphasizes that enlargement should be a merit-based process, based on the Copenhagen criteria, and calls on the country to implement the necessary reforms.
– I urge all political parties in North Macedonia to engage in constructive dialogue to achieve the necessary consensus, which would strengthen the multiethnic character of the country and accelerate progress in the EU, Weiss said.
He emphasized that as the EU rapporteur for the country, he has tirelessly worked for a “well-balanced and impartial report on the democratic progress of this country.”
– Unfortunately, some Bulgarian MEPs have used the report for domestic purposes, Weiss added in the statement.
Before the vote on the document, amendments proposed by MEPs Andrzej Halicki on behalf of the European People’s Party (EPP), Ketlin Van Brempt on behalf of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D), and Dan Barna on behalf of the liberal group “Renew Europe” (RE) were adopted, which removed parts of the text in the report where “Macedonian language and identity” were mentioned. (July 9, 2025)
