While Sofia accepted the French proposal to find a solution between Bulgaria and North Macedonia, protests erupted after the Skopje government decided to consider approving the demands before beginning EU accession talks. Ilva Tare discusses the origins of this dispute and the path forward for both countries with Dimitar Bechev, lecturer at Oxford's School of Global & Area Studies.

Is it possible for Bulgaria and North Macedonia to create a model for non-provocative national identity expression? Is the current crisis setting a precedent for future rounds of regional enlargement? Can the EU act as a guarantee for bilateral talks?