Does Macedonia’s future lie in Europe? The country has become an ideological battleground

North Macedonia is a country with a past — or no past, depending on your perspective. The landlocked Balkan country’s architecture, history, flag and even its name have all become an ideological battleground, contested by nationalists and Europhiles, disputed by Macedonians and Albanians, besieged by Greece and Bulgaria. Conservatives seek to preserve or construct a Macedonian national identity, while hostile neighbouring states demand the country relinquish its historic claims as a quid pro quo for EU accession.