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North Macedonia鈥檚 bid was over Balkan history, language and culture. To break the impasse, the previous center-left government in capital Skopje accepted a Bulgarian demand to insert a reference to the Bulgarian ethnic minority in North Macedonia鈥檚 constitution. However, that administration lacked the parliamentary majority to implement the change.

Costa said that the small Balkan country should now deliver what was previously agreed upon.

鈥淚 know how difficult it is to achieve. Now is the time to conclude the whole thing and open a new page. I visited Bulgaria two weeks ago and there is no longer any room to ask for anything more,鈥� Costa told reporters at a press conference in Skopje, alongside the country鈥檚 Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski.

Mickoski, for his part, said the bloc鈥檚 enlargement must be based on merits, not bilateral issues. His conservative government, which came to power last year, has said it will only amend the constitution if Bulgaria first approves North Macedonia鈥檚 EU membership.

鈥淲e have a problem, and it should be a two-way street. If only one side delivers, it is not realistic,” he said. “We have done enough with difficult decisions so far. We have changed the flag; we have changed the name. ... On the other hand, they (Bulgaria) have a delivery equal to zero.鈥�

Costa is visiting six Western Balkan countries, which are at different stages on their path to full EU membership. Montenegro and Albania have been at the forefront while Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo and North Macedonia are lagging behind.