Press
The elections in North Macedonia could bring the country closer to the EU. But the recognition of the Bulgarian minority remains a point of contention.
Skopje – This Wednesday (April 24th) there will be North Macedonia the first round of presidential elections was held. Seven candidates are running for election, with the best chances of victory given to the incumbent president, Stevo Pendarovski, backed by the ruling Social Democrats, and Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, the center-right opposition candidate.
The first round of voting is seen as an important test of sentiment for the parliamentary election on May 8th, which will take place at the same time as the expected runoff election for the presidency. The central election campaign issue in North Macedonia was the prospect of joining the EU – and the related question of recognizing the Bulgarian minority in the country's constitution. Bulgaria has blocked North Macedonia's accession process because it has not yet received recognition.
The EU opened accession negotiations with North Macedonia in July 2022. Under pressure from EU member state Bulgaria, the small Balkan country must mention the Bulgarian minority in the preamble to its constitution so that substantive accession negotiations can begin. However, due to resistance from the nationalist VMRO-DPMNE, there has not yet been a two-thirds majority in parliament to amend the constitution accordingly.
German Embassy: “Germany wants to see North Macedonia in the EU”
Meanwhile, the German Embassy is in Skopje positioned for the elections. On the embassy website, the State Minister for Europe and Climate, Anna Lührmann, writes that Germany wants North Macedonia to be part of the EU. Lührmann said: “Germany wants to see North Macedonia in the EU – that was the message from Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Federal President Steinmeier and Foreign Minister Baerbock on their respective trips to Skopje. I also emphatically reiterated this message and our support during the three visits that took me to Skopje in the last few months: North Macedonia's accession to the EU would be a mutual enrichment – I am firmly convinced of that.”
Two Albanian politicians are also running for the highest state office – Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani from the co-ruling Albanian party DUI and Arben Taravari as a candidate from an alliance of opposition Albanian parties. Ethnic Albanians represent approximately 25 percent of North Macedonia's population.
Runoff election on May 8th parallel to the parliamentary election in North Macedonia
If none of the candidates receive at least 50 percent of the vote, a runoff election between the top two will be required on May 8th. Based on the polls, this will probably be Pendarovski and Siljanovska-Davkova. A parliamentary election is also scheduled to take place on May 8th. Polling stations close at 7 p.m. Results are expected on Thursday night. In North Macedonia, as in Germany, the president primarily has protocol-related powers; the office is representative in nature.
The pro-European and pro-Western SDSM has ruled Macedonia since 2017, which renamed itself North Macedonia in 2019. The country joined NATO in 2020 after the government of Social Democrat Zoran Zaev settled the name dispute with Greece by renaming it. Athens had insisted on the name change because a region in northern Greece had the same name. (skr/afp/dpa)
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