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According to the information from the European Parliament and the Bulgarian Telegraph Agency, on 3 June 2025, the Committee for Foreign Affaires (AFET) hosted a Structured Dialogue with Marta Kos, Commissioner for Enlargement. As foreseen in the Annex IV of the EP-Commission Framework Agreement, committees hold exchanges of views with their relevant Commissioners on the state of implementation of the current Commission Work Programme as well as on the priorities to be reflected in the next year’s Commission Work Programme.
The AFET Members had the opportunity to touch upon priority topics such as the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, the security situation in Europe and the EU’s neighbourhood and enlargement policy.
During the meeting, Marta Kos insisted that the European Commission is looking for ways to simplify the procedures for joining the EU in order to avoid the danger of bilateral issues affecting the process in this sensitive geopolitical context.
She expressed readiness to cooperate in the dialogue between Skopje and Sofia. “We have a political goal for accession negotiations with the Republic of North Macedonia (RNM) to start on the merits, as soon as the necessary constitutional changes are introduced. Bulgaria and the Republic of North Macedonia should start negotiations and find a solution to this bilateral issue, I am ready to cooperate if necessary”, said Kos.
The commissioner noted that negotiations are already underway with Albania on 24 chapters.
Kos said she had called on Serbia to continue reforms and restore public trust. She specified that she had told Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić that his trip to Moscow for the celebration on May 9 complicate European efforts for his country.
The European path of Kosovo involves normalizing relations with Serbia, said Koc. She urged for the quick formation of new Kosovo institutions following the recent elections.
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, political stagnation continues, but the door to the EU remains open, pointed out the European Commissioner.
“Montenegro is progressing rapidly in negotiations with the EU, six chapters have been closed, and it is expected that negotiations will be completed by next year”, added Kos.
Turkiye remains a strategic partner for the EU; it is in common interest for the country to stay connected to European values, she added. According to her, the authorities in Georgia are distancing the country from the European path and creating threats to the foundations of democracy in the country.
“We must definitely take the next steps with Ukraine and Moldova now; everything is ready and is in the hands of the EU Council to start negotiations”, said Koc. If we want peace and security in Europe, we must be independent and complete the unity of Europe; this is not only a moral obligation. “The Enlargement becomes part of the European integration and is an economic catalyst. Candidate countries for accession must undertake reforms, have sustainable democratic institutions and economies”, Kos added. She expressed hope that at least one more country will join the EU in the next four years.
In response to the Commissioner’s words related to Bulgaria, MEP Andrey Kovachev (EPP/GERB) objected that there is no bilateral problem between Sofia and Skopje. The negotiating framework with the RNM was approved by 27 EU countries and the candidate country, he noted. I regret that the citizens of the RNM are wasting so much time because of the non-implementation of the conclusions of the Council of the EU from 2022, he added.
Stanislav Stoyanov (ESN/Vazrazhdane) added that Bulgaria in 2022 lifted the veto on the accession process of the Republic of North Macedonia.
If we are talking about bilateral issues, the two parties are North Macedonia and the EU, he said. Stoyanov reported that he requested, as a shadow rapporteur, an investigation into the leak of information regarding the preparation of a report by the European Parliament on the progress of North Macedonia. We encountered serious violations, it turns out that North Macedonia is actively working on the compilation of the document, explained Stoyanov.
Ivaylo Valchev (ECR/ITN) stated that he is in shock at how an amendment to the report, which he proposed in writing, was commented on the next day by the Prime Minister of North Macedonia.
Comments: It is understandable that Marta Kos interest is to advance the enlargement process, but on the other side the enthusiasm of Marta Kos to make from the European Council decision a bilateral (RNM-Bulgaria) problem need to be followed very strictly and opposed when it is necessary.
Austrian MEP Thomas Waitz, the European Parliament rapporteur for North Macedonia, said on last Friday that the draft report on the country’s progress in European integration “repeats what the European Commission clearly said: a few more minorities must be included in the Constitution” before Skopje starts negotiations for joining the bloc.
Waitz made the remark for North Macedonia’s MRT 1 television. The European lawmaker said: “These constitutional amendments were announced in the shared interest of the EU and North Macedonia, and Bulgaria also agreed not to block the process if the amendments pass in the parliament.
The vote in the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee on the annual report regarding North Macedonia’s progress towards EU membership was deferred on Wednesday.
The report was removed from the agenda at the request of the rapporteur, Thomas Waitz, amid pressure from the European People’s Party group and with the backing of all Bulgarian MEPs.
