The United States welcomes the decision by the North Macedonian parliament to take the next steps on North Macedonia’s path to EU membership. We recognize the difficult tradeoffs considered in this compromise, which recognizes and respects the cultural identity of North Macedonia and the Macedonian language. This decision comes at a critical time for North Macedonia, the Western Balkans and Europe. A European Union that includes all of the Western Balkans, including Albania and North Macedonia, will be stronger and more prosperous. Now is the time to build momentum and work on the next steps.
