After 20 years in the EU waiting room, North Macedonia has seen public support for EU membership dwindle. However, despite the sluggish pace of progress, setbacks and delays (North Macedonia was granted candidate status in December 2005 only to see 15 years pass before accession talks opened, which is the longest such gap in EU history), the promise of economic prosperity and regional stability continues to drive the nation's desire to join the bloc. But the EU also has to show that it is willing to advance the accession process and reward progress, writes our surprise guest, Biljana Spasovska, Executive Director of the Balkan Civil Society Development Network and an 'enlargement candidate member' for North Macedonia in the EESC.

Biljana Spasovska is the Executive Director of the Balkan Civil Society Development Network (BCSDN), a regional network of CSOs that work together to empower civil society in the Balkans and to strengthen its development. She is also a current co-chair of the CSO Partnership for Development Effectiveness, a member of the Global Standard for CSO Accountability partnership, and an 'enlargement candidate member' of the EESC.

Biljana has more than ten years of experience in leading policy and advocacy efforts aimed at strengthening the role of civil society in the Balkans and its voice in national and EU policy processes. She has led and contributed to several regional, EU and global collaborative projects aimed at fostering a more enabling civil society environment, a more credible EU enlargement policy, improved civil society accountability and more effective development cooperation.

She holds an MA in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of Bologna and is pursuing a PhD in Globalisation and Democracy.