The European Parliament’s report on North Macedonia, adopted today, raises concerns regarding the influence of the Hungarian and Serbian governments in promoting Russian and Chinese objectives in the country, along with the “Serbian World” initiative.

It highlights apprehensions about the “Serbian World” project, noting that certain North Macedonian government representatives have supported this concept. The report condemns participation in discussions aimed at creating a sphere of influence that undermines the sovereignty of neighboring nations and regional stability.

A 2023 analysis points out that individuals connected to the Russian government have utilized Serbian media channels to disseminate narratives hostile to NATO, falsely asserting that the EU is pressuring Skopje to “surrender its identity.”

North Macedonia continues to be a target for foreign malign influence operations, with initiatives aimed at fragmenting its social structure and weaponizing anti-EU sentiments, particularly through tabloids and Serbian media outlets that serve as conduits for the Kremlin’s narrative and hold considerable sway.

Between 2018 and 2023, North Macedonia expelled 13 Russian diplomats due to activities not aligned with their diplomatic roles, indicating the ongoing presence of covert influence networks.

The report also underscores China’s attempts to strengthen its influence in North Macedonia via information control, investment diplomacy, and “coercive clauses” in infrastructure loan agreements.

It notes that some Chinese diplomatic entities have funded sponsored content and authored articles in Macedonian media without proper disclosure.

MEPs voiced serious concerns about North Macedonia and other Western Balkan nations on the EU path, highlighting their vulnerability to foreign interference and disinformation campaigns, encompassing hybrid threats, strategic corruption, opaque financial transactions, and coercive investment practices, particularly from Russia and China.

Additionally, concerns were raised regarding the Hungarian and Serbian governments’ roles in advancing Russian and Chinese geopolitical interests.

The report points out the dangers of reliance on China stemming from unequal loan agreements, including a recent loan believed to originate from China through the Hungarian Eximbank.

Ultimately, it calls for the declassification of the archives from the Yugoslav secret services, UDBA and KOS, stored in Serbia and North Macedonia. The need for opening these archives across the region is emphasized to transparently confront the totalitarian past and to bolster democracy, accountability, and institutions in the Western Balkans.

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