North Macedonia’s path to independence took shape under the shadow of the political upheaval and conflicts that followed the breakup of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s. After gaining independence, the country set European Union and NATO membership as strategic goals.
Independence referendum receives 95.3% support
In the independence referendum held on 8 September 1991, 95.3% of those who went to the polls voted in favor of North Macedonia’s independence.
Turkey and many other countries recognized the independence of the country, which was known at the time as Macedonia. Kiro Gligorov became the country’s first president after independence.
Macedonia began using its own currency on 26 April 1992. The country’s army was also established in August of the same year.
United Nations membership and the name dispute
Macedonia was admitted to the organization unanimously in a vote held in the United Nations General Assembly on 8 April 1993. Because of Greece’s objection, the country joined the UN under the provisional reference “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.”
Macedonia and Greece held negotiations for years to resolve the name dispute. Following UN-mediated talks, the two countries signed the Prespa Agreement in June 2018.
The Prespa Agreement provided for changing the country’s name to “North Macedonia” and establishing a strategic partnership between the two countries. In a referendum held in September 2018, 91.46% of those who voted supported adopting the agreement and pursuing the goal of EU and NATO membership.
Turnout in the referendum, which was boycotted by the opposition at the time, stood at 36.91%. Following the name change, North Macedonia became a NATO member in 2020.
European Union negotiations begin
North Macedonia obtained EU candidate-country status in 2005. The first intergovernmental conference for accession negotiations was held on 19 July 2022.
The opening of negotiation chapters with the EU is expected to begin after the constitutional amendments arising from a bilateral protocol signed with Bulgaria are completed. As part of this process, Bulgarians must be included among the communities listed in North Macedonia’s Constitution.
The Assembly of North Macedonia has 120 seats. A two-thirds majority, or the support of 80 lawmakers, is required for a constitutional amendment.
Under the planned amendment, the wording in the Constitution—“citizens of North Macedonia: Macedonians, Albanians, Turks, Vlachs, Serbs, Roma and Bosniaks”—would also include Bulgarian, Croatian, Montenegrin, Slovenian, Jewish and Egyptian communities.
