Mickoski: No reply yet from Sofia on requested meeting

Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said on Monday that Skopje has not yet received an answer from Sofia to the meeting request sent by the Macedonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade following advice from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. He added that authorities will be able to speak in greater detail once a reply arrives.

Speaking in the municipality of Tearce at the opening of a new kindergarten, Mickoski rejected claims from the opposition and some media that he had expressed dissatisfaction with von der Leyen’s messages or with the slow pace of the EU accession process.

“Look, I heard that from the opposition and from certain media close to them. I think that not only do they not speak the truth, they also try to distort it. I, on the contrary, said that we had an exceptionally quality, substantive and friendly meeting and that all that in the future represents a personal commitment and the commitment of the European Union motivates us to continue along the path of reforms, and so we will continue in the period ahead,” he said.

Meeting, praise and possible next steps

Mickoski also said that President von der Leyen had singled out his government’s work on reforms and the country’s European integration. “President von der Leyen, like never before, said that this government is doing an inspiring job on reforms and on everything devoted to joining the European Union. I expect that in the period ahead we will finally be able to intensify this process and find a solution to the situation in which we find ourselves,” he added.

The prime minister recalled that a day after his meeting with von der Leyen he told reporters he was not satisfied with some of her messages, yet described the encounter as very friendly, useful and substantive, and potentially decisive for future processes. Asked what he expects from a meeting with the Bulgarian side and what would happen if Sofia refused, Mickoski said that in that case, “once again all those theses that we have and are concerned about will be confirmed,” although he did not expect a refusal.

Bulgarian official Iliana Yotova said on Saturday that Bulgaria is always open to talks but that they must take place without ultimatums and without departures from European policy. “For this conversation to be serious, Mickoski must read very carefully the European policy regarding the accession of the Republic of North Macedonia and forget that this is a bilateral issue, as he tries to present it,” she said.

Photo: press material from the event