When the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (henceforth Macedonia) submitted its application to join the European Union in March 2004, it was seen as a courageous move for a country that had experienced an armed (and bloody) inter-ethnic conflict only a few years before. It also showed the determination of Macedonian political elite—at that time, a government coalition led by the SDSM, the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia—to move forward towards the objective of European Union (EU) accession without delay. For them, EU membership would guarantee political stability and security, as well as the best prospects for economic and social development for Macedonia and its citizens.