Draft EP report on North Macedonia: "Serbian World" - a project to change borders, including Montenegro

The European Parliament's (EP) Draft Report on North Macedonia's progress on its European path expresses concern about the "Serbian world" project, which has been described not only as a campaign for economic dominance, but also for changing borders in the Western Balkans.

The campaign includes Republika Srpska, Montenegro, Kosovo and North Macedonia, according to the draft report, authored by rapporteur Thomas Weiz, an Austrian MEP from the Greens, reports. Brussels portal EUalive (https://eualive.net).

The document points to growing regional geopolitical concerns, particularly Serbia's aspirations to exert influence over neighboring countries, and criticizes North Macedonian officials for participating in regional meetings "where spheres of influence that threaten the sovereignty of neighboring states are promoted."

It also calls for the opening of the archives of the Yugoslav secret services UDB and KOS, which are kept in both Serbia and North Macedonia.

The Draft emphasizes the importance of confronting the region's authoritarian past in a transparent manner in order to strengthen democratic accountability.

The author warns that North Macedonia remains vulnerable to hostile operations of foreign influence, aimed at weakening its social fabric and promoting anti-European narratives.

These efforts, it is reported, have been particularly intensified through Serbian-language tabloids and media networks that serve as regional relays for Kremlin messages.

It is recalled that North Macedonia expelled 13 Russian diplomats between 2018 and 2023 for activities incompatible with their diplomatic status, which is described as a sign of "long-term covert influence."

The draft resolution also expresses concern about China's growing role in the region - through control of news channels, forced loan agreements and "investment diplomacy". It particularly points to Chinese funding of paid content in Macedonian media, which is often not clearly marked as such.

The 2023 analysis, cited by the report's author, details how Kremlin-linked entities used Serbian media intermediaries to promote an anti-NATO narrative and to claim that the European Union (EU) is pressuring North Macedonia to "renounce its identity," it said.

The draft report concludes with warnings about growing hybrid threats across the Western Balkans, from disinformation and strategic corruption to non-transparent financial flows and coercive investment practices, particularly those linked to Russia and China.

It also highlights the role of Hungary and Serbia in supporting the geopolitical ambitions of Russia and China, and in particular points to the loan that Hungary gave to North Macedonia, which is speculated to originate from China.