Accession of Macedonia To The European Union

Accession Of Macedonia To The European Union

The Republic of Macedonia has been a candidate for accession to the European Union since 2005. It submitted its membership application in 2004, thirteen years after its independence from former Yugoslavia. Currently (as of 2012), it is one of five remaining candidate countries, together with Iceland, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey, after the latest round of enlargement that brought membership to Bulgaria and Romania. Among current obstacles to full membership is the ongoing dispute with Greece over the country's name, which is also the reason why it is officially addressed by the European Union with the provisional appellation "Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia", rather than its constitutional name, "Republic of Macedonia". Another problem are the strained relations between Macedonia and Bulgaria. Accession to the EU has been defined as the highest strategic priority for the country's government. The expected accession is currently described as a "medium to long term" prospect.

The government's motto for the candidacy is "The Sun, too, is a star", referring to the sun from the flag of the Republic of Macedonia being displayed among the other stars in the Flag of Europe, in the official logo of the candidacy.