DUI: European Commission 2026 report is one of the most worrying assessments for the country

The Democratic Union for Integration (DUI) described the European Commission's 2026 report on North Macedonia as "one of the most worrying assessments" the country has received in recent years, saying it shows backsliding on reforms and serious institutional problems.

In a party statement, DUI singled out the Commission's findings on the implementation of Albanian-language rights and on fair and adequate representation. "For the first time, concrete problems in the implementation of the use of the Albanian language and fair and adequate representation occupy such a clear place in the assessment of the European Commission. This is the most serious political consequence of VMRO-DPMNE's rule with Vlen: issues of equality, which should have been indisputable institutional guarantees, have today become a European concern," the statement said.

DUI also warned that promises made by Vlen when entering government to represent ethnic Albanians have not been fulfilled and that the consequences of that participation are now visible in Brussels. "The balancer has been abolished, the new mechanism for representation remains unresolved, while Albanian citizens and students continue to face obstacles in exercising their language rights," the party added.

The party argued there has been no progress on several other key fronts highlighted by the Commission, including the fight against corruption, freedom of expression, public procurement, consumer protection and health care.

DUI contrasted North Macedonia's situation with progress reported for neighbouring candidates: "Meanwhile, Albania is advancing in the negotiations, Montenegro is approaching their completion, while North Macedonia remains outside the new momentum of enlargement, without even opening the first cluster. This is the price citizens are paying for the political course of this Government. North Macedonia is losing valuable European time, while Albanians once again face challenges to rights they considered guaranteed," the statement added.

Commissioner: constitutional amendments remain a condition

Presenting the 2026 Enlargement Package in Brussels, Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos said North Macedonia has increased its preparedness for EU membership and ranks among candidate countries with high alignment to EU law. She noted the country accelerated implementation of reforms under the Growth Plan but still needs more results in anti-corruption efforts and public administration reform.

Kos reiterated that to unblock accession talks and open the first negotiating cluster, "Fundamentals", North Macedonia must adopt the constitutional amendments agreed in 2022 that provide for the inclusion of minorities in the Constitution.

The European Commission report also flagged risks to good-neighbourly relations with Greece, saying that members of the Government and senior officials in some cases do not act in accordance with the Prespa Agreement, including by not using the constitutional name of the state. "The implementation of bilateral agreements in good faith, including the Prespa Agreement, remains essential. Members of the Government and senior officials in certain cases do not respect the Agreement, including by not using the constitutional name of the state, which risks affecting good-neighbourly relations," the report says.

DUI concluded that the Commission's assessment should serve as a wake-up call for an urgent change of government policy so that equality, institutional functioning and the country's European perspective are not neglected.

Photo: press material from the event