Bulgarian government loses confidence vote

[TiltsAreUnderrated]

https://insiderpaper.com/bulgarias-govt-toppled-as-mps-pass-no-confidence-motion/

Lost 116-123 (Parliament has 240 seas).

Constitutionally, Petkov (the current PM) must now be given a mandate by the President to form a new government, or try to. He recently lost most of the MPs from a populist party in his coalition, which claimed it pulled over concerns that Macedonia would be allowed to proceed with its EU application and because the budget was too small. Petkov alleges that they pulled out because of objection to anti-corruption reforms.

[Storr]

I wish Bulgaria would let North Macedonia start EU membership negotiations. Because the EU decided to pair future expansions after 2004, (Romania and Bulgaria, Serbia and Montenegro, Moldova and Ukraine, Croatia being the only exception) Bulgaria is also preventing Albania from beginning EU membership negotiations.

Petkov at least expressed some willingness to compromise. This no confidence vote also puts Bulgaria's stated goal of adopting the Euro in 2024 in serious jeopardy.

[An American Tail: Fubart Goes West]

I wish Bulgaria would let North Macedonia start EU membership negotiations. Because the EU decided to pair future expansions after 2004, (Romania and Bulgaria, Serbia and Montenegro, Moldova and Ukraine, Croatia being the only exception) Bulgaria is also preventing Albania from beginning EU membership negotiations.

Petkov at least expressed some willingness to compromise. This no confidence vote also puts Bulgaria's stated goal of adopting the Euro in 2024 in serious jeopardy.

Couple of questions… why is Bulgaria opposed to letting North Macedonia join? Also, why does the EU feel the need to admit countries in pairs? It’s not like it’s antebellum America.

[CumbrianLefty]

Bulgarian irredentism doesn't recognise (North) Macedonia as a separate nation/people at all.

(sound familiar?)

[Former President tack50]

I wish Bulgaria would let North Macedonia start EU membership negotiations. Because the EU decided to pair future expansions after 2004, (Romania and Bulgaria, Serbia and Montenegro, Moldova and Ukraine, Croatia being the only exception) Bulgaria is also preventing Albania from beginning EU membership negotiations.

Petkov at least expressed some willingness to compromise. This no confidence vote also puts Bulgaria's stated goal of adopting the Euro in 2024 in serious jeopardy.

Couple of questions… why is Bulgaria opposed to letting North Macedonia join? Also, why does the EU feel the need to admit countries in pairs? It’s not like it’s antebellum America.

Idk about the former but regarding the latter I suppose it's more "tradition" at this point than anything else. Though there have been cases of a country entering by itself (Greece in 1981 and the most recent instance of Croatia in 2013).

In any case, I will say I don't expect any more "joint accessions" unless two countries are at the same stage. Montenegro will probably enter alone for instance.

[GMantis]

Bulgarian irredentism doesn't recognise (North) Macedonia as a separate nation/people at all.

(sound familiar?)

Not really irredentism - no one wants to annex Macedonia - and not about whether Macedonians are a separate people - they clearly are such today. The question is more about how exactly they became a separate people and the contemporary attitude of Macedonia towards Bulgaria.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Bulgarian irredentism doesn't recognise (North) Macedonia as a separate nation/people at all.

(sound familiar?)

Not really irredentism - no one wants to annex Macedonia - and not about whether Macedonians are a separate people - they clearly are such today. The question is more about how exactly they became a separate people and the contemporary attitude of Macedonia towards Bulgaria.

This still seems like something Macedonia has a right to decide for itself without a more powerful neighbor holding them hostage for it.

[GMantis]

Bulgarian irredentism doesn't recognise (North) Macedonia as a separate nation/people at all.

(sound familiar?)

Not really irredentism - no one wants to annex Macedonia - and not about whether Macedonians are a separate people - they clearly are such today. The question is more about how exactly they became a separate people and the contemporary attitude of Macedonia towards Bulgaria.

This still seems like something Macedonia has a right to decide for itself without a more powerful neighbor holding them hostage for it.

Macedonia is entirely free to decide this for itself, just as Bulgaria is entirely free to decide for itself whether to block their entry to the EU.

[Sol]

Bulgarian irredentism doesn't recognise (North) Macedonia as a separate nation/people at all.

(sound familiar?)

Not really irredentism - no one wants to annex Macedonia - and not about whether Macedonians are a separate people - they clearly are such today. The question is more about how exactly they became a separate people and the contemporary attitude of Macedonia towards Bulgaria.

What sort of modifications does Bulgaria want from Macedonia exactly? It seems like a bit of faff to be honest.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Bulgarian irredentism doesn't recognise (North) Macedonia as a separate nation/people at all.

(sound familiar?)

Not really irredentism - no one wants to annex Macedonia - and not about whether Macedonians are a separate people - they clearly are such today. The question is more about how exactly they became a separate people and the contemporary attitude of Macedonia towards Bulgaria.

This still seems like something Macedonia has a right to decide for itself without a more powerful neighbor holding them hostage for it.

Macedonia is entirely free to decide this for itself, just as Bulgaria is entirely free to decide for itself whether to block their entry to the EU.

This just further proves the unanimity rule is untenable. Yes, Bulgaria is free to block Macedonia, and clearly that's a problem in need of an institutional fix.