Skopje, 1 July 2024 (MIA) – Macedonian citizens support their country joining the EU but not at the cost of Bulgarians being included in the Constitution, shows the latest public opinion poll of the Institute for Political Research – Skopje.

If a referendum was held tomorrow, 60.2 percent of the citizens would vote in favor of EU membership, while 28.7 percent would vote against.

This year, an increase in the number of respondents who would vote against was registered. In comparison, 17.3 percent would have voted against, according to a 2019 poll.

“Most citizens, 31.7 percent believe Macedonia will never join the EU. 18.1 percent expect it to happen in the next five years, 15.9 percent in the next 10 years and 14.8 percent expect a membership in the bloc in the next 15 years,” shows the poll. 

More than two third of the citizens are prepared to sacrifice EU membership if the only way to get there is to include the Bulgarian community in the Constitution. 

“As high as 69.5 percent believe the new government shouldn’t accept incorporation of the Bulgarians in the Constitution even at the cost of delaying the opening of the negotiations with the EU,” says the poll.

Also, as high as 55.7 percent of the citizens are against the negotiating framework agreed under the French proposal. 28.1 percent are in favor of the French proposal.

“There is evident difference on the matter between Macedonians and ethnic Albanians. While as many as 63.5 percent of Macedonians are against the negotiating framework with only 11.6 percent in favor, as many as 55.9 percent of ethnic Albanians are supportive of the negotiating framework created under the French proposal. 22.7 percent are against,” shows the opinion poll.

A majority of respondents, 60.3 percent, say they are familiar with the French proposal that defines the negotiating framework, whereas 37.6 percent are not. Ethnic Albanians say they are more familiar with the French proposal than the Macedonians – as many as 66.4 percent ethnic Albanians and 58.6 percent Macedonians believe they are familiar with the French proposal. 

54 percent of the citizens, according to the poll, believe the negotiating framework makes the country a subordinate and represents an introduction into Bulgarisation of the country. 19.2 percent believe the negotiating framework takes into consideration most of the Macedonian demands all the while guaranteeing the Macedonian identity.

“According to the ethnicity of the respondents, 64 percent of Macedonians believe the framework makes Macedonia a subordinate and represents an introduction into Bulgarisation. Only 18.2 percent of ethnic Albanians share this sentiment,” says the poll.

Almost half of the citizens, 49.1 percent, think that the negotiating framework can be amended, whereas 28.3 percent think it cannot. These figures show an increase in those believing the negotiating framework can be changed. 

According to the poll, additional EU guarantees as a condition for changes in the Constitution is not acceptable for a majority of the respondents. 

“47.1 percent say they don’t support changing the Constitution for the negotiations to continue if Macedonia were to be given additional guarantees,” shows the poll.

Also, 42 percent believe the dispute with Bulgaria and the negotiations with the EU will continue during the term of the new government. 37.7 percent believe the Bulgaria dispute won’t be settled, 22.7 percent believe it could be settled in the next four years and as little as 4.2 percent believe the dispute will be settled by the end of the year.

The Institute for Political Research – Skopje interviewed 1,030 respondents in the period from 7 until 11 June for the opinion poll, commissioned by Sitel TV’s show Detektor. 

MIA file photo