Why is Bulgaria blocking North Macedonia's EU path? The dispute explained (2026)

Bulgaria’s parliament lifted its formal veto on North Macedonia’s EU talks in June 2022, but Sofia insists that Skopje first keep the commitments made in July 2022, above all adding Bulgarians to its constitution. North Macedonia’s government says it will not do that without guarantees that no new demands follow. As of October 2026 the constitution has not been amended, so the first negotiating cluster remains unopened.

What was agreed in 2022?

Bulgaria blocked the EU negotiating framework for North Macedonia in November 2020. Under the French EU Council presidency a compromise followed. On 24 June 2022 Bulgaria’s parliament voted 170 to 37 (21 abstentions) to lift the veto with conditions, France 24 reported: Bulgarians written into the constitution “on an equal footing with other peoples”, a bilateral protocol, and action against hate speech. On 16 July 2022 North Macedonia’s parliament approved the deal with 68 votes, while the opposition VMRO-DPMNE did not take part, according to Novinite. The foreign ministers signed the second bilateral protocol in Sofia on 17 July (Meta.mk), and the European Commission says the first intergovernmental conference took place that July.

What does Sofia say?

On 18 June 2026, Prime Minister Rumen Radev said: “We now have to make efforts again to convince leaders that the consensus reached in July 2022 must be respected,” BTA reported. He pointed to the second protocol and said Bulgaria had won EU-wide support for constitutional guarantees for Bulgarians.

What does Skopje say?

Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski told parliament in January 2026: “While I am prime minister, there will be no constitutional amendments without these two guarantees” — protection for ethnic Macedonians in Bulgaria and “not new blockades, humiliations or vetoes based on subjective political reasons”, BalkanView reported. In May 2026 his government refused an opposition call for a referendum on the issue (Mediapool).

What happened in 2026?

• 9 May: Mickoski invited the newly elected Radev to Skopje (Novinite).
• 17 June: The European Parliament adopted its North Macedonia report; it says constitutional amendments are needed to open the first cluster. BGNES reported that it calls the inclusion of Bulgarians a mandatory condition.
• 18 June: After two Bulgarian embassy vehicles were set on fire in Skopje, Radev said “we have nothing more to discuss with the Prime Minister of North Macedonia” and, asked about suspending EU funding, that Bulgaria would defend its national interest (BTA).

The Warsaw think tank OSW titled its 26 March 2026 analysis “Waiting for Godot”. Varna Pulse does not assess the historical or language questions behind the dispute.

What does it mean for Varna?

Nothing in these statements changes travel rules, so visitors from North Macedonia follow the usual entry rules. For the domestic context, see our guide to Bulgarian politics and the presidential runoff on 1 November.