Newly elected PM-designate reached agreement on new coalition govt. Following his election as PM-designate mid-July, head of Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM) party Zoran Zaev 18 Aug reached agreement on new coalition govt with Albanian party Democratic Union for Integration (BDI) led by Ali Ahmeti; under coalition agreement, there will be four deputy PMs – three nominated by SDSM and one by Democratic Union for Integration, and Zaev will remain PM but will transfer role to ethnic Albanian proposed by BDI one hundred days before next election; parliament 31 Aug endorsed new coalition govt led by Zaev as PM. Meanwhile, European Commission 11 Aug signed Memorandum of Understanding for €160mn macro-financial assistance program to support govt in curbing economic fallout of COVID-19 pandemic.

Country held parliamentary elections in mid-July. Following 15 July parliamentary elections, ruling party Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM) led by former PM Zoran Zaev emerged as strongest party with 46 seats but failed to win majority; opposition VMRO-DPMNE followed closely with 44 seats, while Albanian Democratic Union for Integration won 15 seats; opposition parties collectively submitted over 177 individual complaints to Administrative Court on alleged electoral violations. Following 2019 decision to reject opening of accession talks, EU Commission 1 July presented to EU Council draft negotiating framework for North Macedonia, laying out guidelines and principles for accession talks. Democratic Union for Integration leader Ali Ahmeti 22 July confirmed he had accepted request for questioning from Kosovo Specialist Prosecutor’s Office on wartime and post-war crimes by Kosovo Liberation Army, of which he was a member.

Party leaders set new date for parliamentary elections. After March postponement of 12 April elections over concerns surrounding COVID-19 outbreak, leader of ruling party Social Democratic Union of Macedonia Zoran Zaev and head of opposition VMRO-DPMNE party Hristijan Mickoski 16 June reached agreement to hold parliamentary election on 15 July.

EU leaders gave North Macedonia long-awaited green light to start formal EU accession talks and it joined NATO. Following French President Macron’s Feb announcement that France was ready to lift opposition to opening of EU accession negotiations, EU Enlargement Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi 2 March confirmed his recommendation that EU open talks with North Macedonia, stating govt had taken “significant steps to strengthen the independence of the judiciary”, including recent adoption of EU-sought Law on Prosecution. EU leaders 26 March gave approval for North Macedonia (and Albania) to start formal membership talks. President Pendarovski 20 March signed NATO accession agreement after Spain 17 March ratified accession protocol, final NATO member state to do so. Party leaders 17 March agreed to postpone 12 April elections over concerns about COVID-19, without setting new date for polls. Pendarovski 19 March declared state of emergency over outbreak.

During Munich Security Conference in Germany, French President Macron 8 Feb said he was ready to lift French opposition to opening of EU accession negotiations, pending positive results in European Commission’s report on North Macedonia suitability for EU accession due in March. PM of caretaker govt Spasovski 18 Feb urged EU to start accession talks before April elections, saying delay “stimulates the people to lose faith in the European perspective”. Parliament 15 Feb passed legislation (with required minimum of 80 out of 120 votes) proposed by ruling Social Democrat party and strongly supported by EU, which gives control over cases of major corruption and organised crime to public prosecution office; opposition VMRO-DPMNE party objected to manner of vote. FM Dimitrov 9 Feb said labour minister and VMRO-DPMNE member Rashela Mizrahi was jeopardising country’s Euro-Atlantic future after she appeared in press conference next to sign reading Republic of Macedonia, in violation of terms of 2018 agreement with Greece on country’s name; Mizrahi claimed she was correcting “injustice” given her party’s opposition to deal; parliament 23 Feb voted 62-26 to dismiss Mizrahi for violating constitution. Parliament 11 Feb unanimously ratified agreement to make North Macedonia member of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), opening way for ratification by NATO members.

PM Zaev 3 Jan resigned to allow transitional govt to take over ahead of snap parliamentary election in April; move follows EU decision in Oct not to formally open membership talks with North Macedonia after it was blocked by France, in blow to Zaev’s moves to advance EU integration including compromise with Greece over renaming of country. Parliament 6 Jan approved new caretaker govt under Oliver Spasovski, previously interior minister, to organise polls scheduled for 12 April; main opposition party, VMRO-DPMNE, running several ministries including Interior Ministry and Social Policies Ministry as part of caretaker govt. On taking up rotating EU presidency, Croatia’s PM said he would work to unblock EU accession process with North Macedonia.

Parliament 22 Dec passed budget for 2020 with 5% increase in expenditure from 2019 mainly going into increased salaries, pensions, and other social transfers; govt claimed budget to be investment in “human capital” while opposition said salary increase “bribe” ahead of April’s snap general elections. Formation of caretaker govt stalled after opposition VMRO-DPMNE party 30 Dec proposed as interior minister a military official, army lieutenant-colonel Dragan Kovacki, contrary to the constitution. North Macedonia participated in London NATO summit 3-4 Dec, even though Spanish parliament has yet to ratify its membership. Govt 8 Dec reversed pledge to act on advice of Venice Commission to review 2018 language law, which Venice Commission said “goes beyond European standards” and may impose “unrealistic legal obligations on public institutions” and slow down functioning of judiciary, and discard some agreements on bilingualism, as junior governing coalition partner Democratic Union for Integration (DUI) vice-PM in charge of European issues, Bujar Osmani, warned that changing 2018 law could return country to pre-2001 rights situation for ethnic Albanians.

Following Oct decision by European Council not to begin formal EU accession talks with North Macedonia due to French opposition, PM Zaev 14 Nov reiterated that “there is no alternative to the EU and NATO” for country; also noted “huge encouragement” from his Greek counterpart on North Macedonia’s EU aspirations, as well as neighbouring Bulgaria. Speaking at Russia-North Macedonia economic forum in Skopje same day, Zaev said efforts to improve economic cooperation with Russia not an alternative to Euro-Atlantic integration. Zaev met with Albanian PM Rama and Serbian President Vučić 10 Nov, agreeing to lift trade barriers between their countries.

European Council 18 Oct decided not to begin formal accession talks with North Macedonia (and Albania) following French veto, in move widely criticised for undermining EU influence and credibility in Western Balkans, and prompting frustration in Skopje, where it is feared rejection will weaken PM Zaev’s reformist govt. Amid calls from opponents for his resignation, PM Zaev 19 Oct called for snap elections, saying “we are victims of the EU’s historic mistake”, and that electorate will “decide the road we are going to take”; poll set for April 2020. European Parliament 24 Oct passed resolution calling decision a “strategic mistake” and called for European Council to unanimously back opening of accession talks at its next meeting. NATO Sec Gen Jens Stoltenberg 21 Oct confirmed North Macedonia’s NATO accession process “well on track”.

President Pendarovski 15 July said he expected North Macedonia to become NATO member by end of 2019. FMs of Cyprus and North Macedonia at conference in Greece 17 July said two countries would establish diplomatic relations at next EU Foreign Affairs Council summit in Aug 2019. U.S. Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian affairs visited North Macedonia and Greece 21-27 July and reportedly discussed issue of former’s desire to become member of NATO and EU.