Welcome
Emil Brix
Director of the Diplomatische Akademie Wien – Vienna School of International Studies

René Schlee
Director of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung in Skopje

Introduction
Pamela Rendi-Wagner
Chairwoman of the Austrian Social Democratic Party

Lecture
Dimitar Kovačevski
Prime Minister of North Macedonia, Social Democratic Union of Macedonia

Moderation
Maria Maltschnig
Director of the Karl-Renner-Institut

Content
July 2022 was an important date in the history of North Macedonia: accession negotiations with the EU were opened. However, an important condition has to be met for the talks to continue. According to the negotiating framework agreed by all 27 member states and an EU brokered agreement between Bulgaria and North Macedonia, the country is obliged to amend its constitution to recognise the Bulgarian minority. This constitutional amendment requires a two-thirds majority in the national parliament and thus the approval of at least of parts of the right-wing nationalist opposition, which opposes the deal. Although the issue of minority rights is not controversial in itself, memories of the Prespa Agreement, when North Macedonia was already promised the start of the accession talks, are still fresh and make it all the more difficult to forge democratic majorities for another constitutional amendment.

Under these difficult circumstances, we will discuss not only North Macedonia's hurdles on the road to the EU, but also suggestions and possibilities to give a new impetus to the enlargement process. How can Austria and Austrian and European social democrats support North Macedonia’s European path? How can the EU overcome its loss of credibility?

https://renner-institut.at/veranstalt...