The Macedonian Parliament has approved the French proposal to settle cultural and language disputes with Bulgaria, paving the way for both North Macedonia and Albania to open negotiations talks with the EU.
68 MPs voted for the proposal, while the opposition did not participate in the vote.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was the first to congratulate North Macedonia for its decision.
“Congratulations to North Macedonia on the vote that now paves the way for opening the accession negotiations rapidly. It was a historic opportunity. And you seized it. A big step on your path towards a European future. Your future,” she wrote on Twitter.
The Macedonian parliament has been debating the proposal brokered French President Emmanuel Macron since Thursday.
Over the past two weeks, opposition leaders and thousands of Macedonians protested the compromise, calling it a betrayal of their national identity.
