Процес осуђен на пропаст: процес интеграције у ЕУ који појачава поделе уместо да доводи до помирења: случај Бугарске и Северне Македоније
A Process Doomed to Failure: The EU Integration Process Ehancing Division Instead of Fostering Reconciliation: The Case of Bulgaria and North Macedonia

Summary/Abstract: The reconciliation process between Bulgaria and the Republic of North Macedonia has evolved over several decades, shaped by both historical challenges and contemporary political dynamics. The relationship between the two countries has been plagued by complex issues concerning history, identity, and territorial disputes, particularly regarding the legacy of the Ottoman Empire and the historical narratives each country has constructed around their shared past. Central to these tensions is the legacy of Yugoslav-era identity policies, which reinforced a distinct Macedonian identity while challenging the area’s historical connections to Bulgaria. Despite the promising Treaty of Friendship, Good-Neighborliness, and Cooperation, signed in 2017, disagreements over historical narratives, including contentious debates on shared historical figures and events, have satisfied progress. Instead of improving relations, the inclusion of a process aimed at building good neighborly relations between the two countries into North Macedonia’s EU integration process has contributed to exacerbating the conflict to the point that a solution to the contentious issues through compromise now seems impossible.

• Details
• Contents