SKOPJE, July 16 (Reuters) – North Macedonia MPs on Saturday adopted a French-brokered deal to settle a dispute with Bulgaria and pave the way for EU membership talks.
By 68 votes, the Parliament, which has 120 seats, voted in favor of the agreement. Opposition lawmakers did not participate in the vote and left the room.
The agreement proposes that the constitution of North Macedonia recognize the existence of a Bulgarian minority, while other issues will be discussed between Skopje and Sofia. The proposal does not require Bulgaria to recognize the Macedonian language.
In exchange, Bulgaria will allow its neighbor to begin accession negotiations with the EU.
The main opposition nationalist party bloc, VMRE-DPMNE, has staged daily demonstrations since early July to protest the deal, which it says endangers Macedonian language and identity.
After the agreement was adopted, MPs from the ruling party unfurled EU and North Macedonian flags.
Last month, the Bulgarian parliament lifted its veto on negotiations between Macedonia and the European Union. The decision also sparked protests in Bulgaria and contributed to a vote of no confidence that toppled the government.
North Macedonia, a former Yugoslav republic, has been a candidate for EU membership for 17 years, but approval of the negotiations was first blocked by Greece and then by Bulgaria. (Fatos Bytyci; French version Nicolas Delame)