North Macedonia to request bilateral talks with Bulgaria to revive EU accession

North Macedonia plans to request an official bilateral meeting with Bulgaria next week, following advice from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to open a new phase of dialogue. Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said the initiative follows von der Leyen's encouragement to restart the EU accession process, which has been stalled over unresolved bilateral issues. Foreign Minister Timco Mucunski will travel to Sofia for Corridor VIII activities and will formally ask his Bulgarian counterpart for a meeting.

The EU commission highlighted North Macedonia's impressive reform record but stressed that constitutional changes to acknowledge Bulgarians are still needed before negotiating clusters can open. Mickoski called for stronger EU facilitation of the dialogue, emphasizing that any agreement should provide clear, mutual commitments and prevent further delays. The upcoming talks are seen as a test of whether renewed political engagement can move the accession process forward.