THE POLITICAL IMPACT OF BULGARIA ON NORTH MACEDONIA'S EUROPEAN UNION ACCESSION PROCESS

Abstract

North Macedonia’s accession process to the European Union (EU) has evolved into a multidimensional diplomatic undertaking shaped by historical identity issues, debates over national interest, and domestic political dynamics. Bulgaria’s veto, implemented in 2020, revealed how disputes over history, identity, and language between the two countries have become a decisive factor in the EU’s enlargement policy. In particular, the projection of historical narratives, collective identities, and domestic political developments onto foreign policy has transformed this process beyond a purely technical framework of negotiation. In this context, Bulgaria’s position is analyzed through the theoretical lenses of realism, liberalism, and social constructivism. Employing a qualitative content analysis method, the study examines official documents, foreign ministry statements, decisions of EU institutions, and bilateral agreements. It also evaluates how the “Macedonia issue” functions within Bulgaria’s domestic politics and foreign policy discourse. The findings indicate that Bulgaria’s foreign policy is shaped not only by interest-driven calculations but also by identity-based and historically rooted justifications. This case offers a compelling example for understanding the structural challenges faced by the EU’s enlargement strategies and illustrates how unresolved historical disputes can be instrumentalized in the realm of foreign policy.

Keywords

• North Macedonia
• Bulgaria
• European Union
• Identity
• EU Enlargement Policy

KUZEY MAKEDONYA’NIN AVRUPA BİRLİĞİ'NE KATILIM SÜRECİNDE BULGARİSTAN’IN POLİTİK ETKİLERİ

Abstract

Kuzey Makedonya’nın Avrupa Birliği (AB) üyelik süreci, tarihsel kimlik sorunları, ulusal çıkar tartışmaları ve iç siyasal etkenlerle şekillenen çok boyutlu bir diplomatik sürece dönüşmüştür. Bulgaristan’ın 2020 yılında uygulamaya koyduğu veto kararı, iki ülke arasındaki tarih, kimlik ve dil temelli ihtilafların AB’nin genişleme politikalarında nasıl belirleyici bir rol oynadığını ortaya koymaktadır. Özellikle tarihsel anlatıların, kolektif kimliklerin ve iç politik gelişmelerin dış politikaya yansıması, bu süreci teknik bir müzakere zemininin ötesine taşımaktadır. Bu çerçevede, Bulgaristan’ın tutumu realizm, liberalizm ve sosyal inşacılık kuramsal yaklaşımları doğrultusunda analiz edilmiştir. Nitel içerik analizi yöntemiyle, resmi belgeler, dışişleri bakanlıklarının açıklamaları, AB kurumlarının kararları ve ikili anlaşmalar incelenmiştir. Ayrıca Makedonya sorununun, Bulgaristan’ın iç politikasında ve dış politika söyleminde nasıl bir işlev üstlendiği değerlendirilmiştir. Elde edilen bulgular, Bulgaristan’ın dış politikasının yalnızca çıkar temelli olmadığını, aynı zamanda kimlik ve tarih merkezli gerekçelerle şekillendiğini göstermektedir. Bu durum, AB’nin genişleme stratejilerinde karşılaşılan yapısal zorlukları ve tarihsel meselelerin dış politika aracı olarak nasıl kullanılabildiğini anlamak açısından dikkat çekici bir örnek sunmaktadır.

Keywords

• Kuzey Makedonya
• Bulgaristan
• Avrupa Birliği
• Kimlik
• AB Genişleme Politikası

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