This paper explores how North Macedonia’s three decades of independence have been tumultuous. Although it seceded peacefully from Yugoslavia and escaped the wars, the country’s transition from socialism produced high unemployment, weak rule of law, and ethnocentric policies that resulted in an armed conflict in 2001.1 Following a period of economic and democratic development, the country applied for EU and NATO membership. It received a green light from the EU Commission to start accession talks in 2001 the process was blocked by Greece for nine years, conditioning progress on the country’s name being changed.
