Mickoski in Washington: "European integration must be based on reforms and merits"
At the Atlantic Council on September 18, 2026, the prime minister outlined defence, energy and digital plans and called for a predictable EU accession based on merits.
On September 18, 2026, Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski spoke at the Atlantic Council in Washington, laying out his government's strategic aims for the coming years and detailing Skopje's security and economic priorities.
Mickoski told the forum that the transatlantic partnership between North Macedonia and the United States is the product of decades of cooperation and that his government intends to deepen that relationship. He described North Macedonia as a small state with “an exceptionally important geostrategic position in the heart of the Balkans,” a natural crossroads for European transport and energy corridors.
Security, infrastructure and digital resilience
The prime minister said his administration bases policy on predictability and meeting commitments. He reaffirmed obligations as a NATO member, including a planned, gradual increase in defence spending, alongside investments in strategic infrastructure such as highways, railways and energy transmission systems.
Mickoski singled out cyber security as a major future challenge. As part of the government’s reform agenda with the European Union, he outlined plans for a primary state data centre that will link public institutions, be connected to an existing secondary disaster-recovery site and be further protected through cloud infrastructure, with the stated aim of building a more resilient defence against modern cyber threats.
On energy and transport, Mickoski presented a development strategy built on three linked pillars: infrastructure, energy infrastructure and artificial intelligence and high technology. He announced ambitions for North Macedonia to become an important regional energy and transit hub. The interconnector to Greece should enable a link to the Alexandroupolis LNG terminal, while construction of an interconnector toward Serbia would create the possibility to extend supply routes to Central Europe. According to Mickoski, completion of these two projects would significantly raise the country’s regional importance and open transit routes for natural gas to Central Europe.
Turning to the EU accession process, Mickoski said that "European integration must be based on reforms and merits." He reminded listeners that North Macedonia has been on the European path for more than two decades and that citizens have made numerous concessions for the prospect of membership. He argued the accession process must be predictable and free of repeatedly opened bilateral conditions. While the government will continue to press partners diplomatically, Mickoski stressed Skopje will not stand still: it will pursue economic growth, further reforms, rule-of-law strengthening, foreign direct investment and investment in high-tech industry.
As part of his address he cited recent economic data, noting the country recorded 4.3 percent GDP growth in the second quarter. He closed by reiterating the government’s strategic commitment to deepen the U.S. alliance and to seek full membership in the European Union while advancing concrete projects—modern infrastructure, energy links, digital and cyber resilience, AI and high-technology investment—that underpin that trajectory.
Photo: press material from the event
