• A total of 68 lawmakers from the 120-seat parliament voted in favour of the agreement.
• Opposition politicians did not participate in the vote and left the room.
• The deal proposes that North Macedonia’s constitution be amended to recognise a Bulgarian minority.

North Macedonian legislators have approved a French-mediated agreement to resolve a conflict with Bulgaria; paving the door for long overdue EU membership negotiations.

The accord was approved on Saturday by a total of 68 members of the 120-seat parliament. Politicians from the opposition walked out of the room; before the vote and abstained.

The agreement calls for the constitution of North Macedonia to change in order to recognise a Bulgarian minority; with talks between Skopje and Sofia continuing on the remaining concerns. Bulgaria is not in requirement under the plan to officially recognise Macedonian.

In return, Bulgaria will consent to the opening of negotiations for EU membership; with its neighbour in the West Balkans. Deputies from the ruling party unfurled the flags of the EU; and North Macedonia after the deal is in approval.

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After a cabinet meeting later on Saturday, Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski declared that North Macedonia; will begin EU membership negotiations on July 19.

“With this, our country has taken another objectively significant historical stride. The Macedonian language and identity are in guard inside; the context of our negotiations, he added.

Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, and Charles Michel; the leader of the European Council, both congratulated North Macedonia on Twitter.

Writing that it was a “major milestone on your journey towards a European future”; von der Leyen said, “It was a historic chance and you grasped it.”

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