North Macedonia’s Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski delivered a sharp rebuke on Thursday regarding past negotiations over national identity, asserting that the harm done by one of the country’s former ministers—who he says negotiated over the Macedonian identity and language—will not be forgotten.
“I will never allow myself to negotiate on something I know represents a deep source of pain and frustration for Macedonian citizens, for Albanians, Turks—for all citizens who are an integral part of our Constitution,” said Mickoski during a press briefing.
He directly criticized the former official for compromising national identity, claiming it dealt a significant blow to the Macedonian people and would remain in the collective memory of the nation.
“That minister negotiated my Macedonian identity—he made a mistake. If he thinks we’ll forget, he’s wrong. We will seek a way to rebuild trust and resolve this, whether in our generation or the next,” Mickoski emphasized.
The remarks were made in response to a question about the government’s stance on constitutional amendments ahead of the visit by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas.
According to Mickoski, past negotiations have weakened North Macedonia’s standing, turning the country from a regional and European frontrunner into one still struggling to begin EU accession talks.
