For the Citizens of North Macedonia Bulgaria is the Biggest Opponent of their EU Integration

Two-thirds of the citizens in North Macedonia put Bulgaria at the top of a list that includes the biggest opponents of their country's European integration. This information became clear after a survey made by the International Republican Institute, according to which those who gave this answer (66%) were far ahead of the 29 percent who indicated Greece and France (16%) - other countries that previously blocked the EU negotiations for North Macedonia.

On the other hand, Bulgaria is not among the nine countries that most Macedonians have declared to be leading supporters of their country's European integration. For that - despite Bulgaria's assurances from 2018 as rotating president of the EU Council and even after that - not even 3% of respondents gave their vote, as much as they said this about Belgium, Hungary and Italy.

Greece blocked North Macedonia for a longer time than Bulgaria over the name dispute, but 4% now see the southern country as a leading supporter.

The survey was conducted for the Center for Insights in Survey Research (CISR) between April 8 and May 4, 2023 with 1,204 respondents. The Washington-based Republican Institute (founded in 1983 under President Ronald Reagan and not officially affiliated with the Republican Party) also describes the political context of this survey.

It points out that it was carried out at a time of tense relations between Sofia and Skopje because of the Bulgarian clubs with names of controversial historical figures in the country. But also during political tension in North Macedonia itself because of the procedure for the inclusion of Bulgarians in the constitution, along with the reminder from European representatives that without this step there can be no start of negotiations for...