EVALUATING MACEDONIAN FOREIGN POLICY: LEGAL PERSPECTIVES, REGIONAL REALITIES, AND PUBLIC OPINION PERCEPTIONS

Abstract

This paper is focused on a general overview of Macedonian foreign policy since the proclamation of the independence of the Republic of Macedonia in 1991 until present day. During this period many agreements were conducted and the state walked the path from severe regional instability, toward EU and NATO integrations. The strategic national interest of the general foreign policy is related in continuity with a top priority of the country's Euro-Atlantic integrations, but also continuity of the tight relations, upgraded to strategic partnership with the United States.

During the process of seeking the right path for those mentioned priorities, Macedonia was faced with the challenges of compromising on many national questions, related to the identity of the state and its people. In parallel structural inner reforms are conducted, not only in the sphere of rule of law, economy, or democratization, but also and significant redefinition of the state regarding the implementation of the Ohrid Framework Agreement. The recent membership in the NATO alliance was preluded by a painful agreement on the so-called Name Issue and with the Prespa agreement compromise was concluded with Greece, which resulted in constitutional changes and a new state name. those reforms regarding the strategic interest of the Macedonian foreign policy were not always supported by wider public opinion in the country. Therefore in this paper, we are presenting the results of the public opinion research conducted by a team of researchers from the Faculty of Law at Goce Delchev University in Shtip.