EU member state diplomats have prepared conclusions for the European Council that takes place tomorrow. According to the MIA news agency, the conclusions will again not set a date when Macedonia can begin its accession talks, and will have the usual encouragement and words of comfort that the country has become used to over the past decade and half as a candidate country.

The Council looks forward to the holding of the first intergovernmental conferences with the Republic of (North) Macedonia and with Albania as soon as possible this year, after the approval of the negotiating frameworks by the Council, therelevant portion of the conclusions reads.

Bulgaria blocks the adoption of the framework in the European Council, as it demands major new concessions from Macedonia, akin to those made to Greece under the Prespa Treaty.

The conclusions again call on Macedonia to respect the Prespa Treaty and the 2018 Zaev – Borisov treaty. The latter is used as an excuse by Bulgaria to block Macedonia’s accession talks.

One of the Bulgarian demands is that the conclusions use only the long form of the imposed name “Republic of North Macedonia” and never “North Macedonia”. Bulgaria fears that the shorter version could constitute a claim on its region of Pirin Macedonia. Other countries are mentioned by both their formal names and the short names, but not Macedonia.