Costa faces resistance in Skopje as Mickoski rejects constitutional changes

The President of the European Council António Costa encountered a significant obstacle in Skopje, where North Macedonia’s Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski firmly rejected amending the constitution to include the Bulgarian minority – a key EU condition for advancing the country’s EU accession process.

Costa, touring Western Balkan EU hopefuls, waited 50 minutes for a press conference following his meeting with Mickoski, a delay seen as reflecting the tense atmosphere of their talks. Despite thanking North Macedonia for the “warm welcome,” Costa’s message was unequivocal: “What was agreed in 2022 must be implemented. There is nothing else. There is no plan B.”

In 2022, Bulgaria lifted its veto on North Macedonia’s accession negotiations in exchange for an EU-brokered agreement requiring constitutional amendments to recognise the Bulgarian minority. The current constitution lists Albanians, Turks, Vlachs, Serbs, Roma, and Bosniaks as constituent minorities.

Mickoski, who assumed office in June 2024 after his VMRO-DPMNE party won elections on an anti-Bulgarian platform, reiterated his refusal to amend the constitution to include Bulgarians.

As reported by IBNA, Costa dismissed any possibility of renegotiating the 2022 agreement, urging North Macedonia to focus on implementing “Plan A” – the agreed-upon conditions for accession. He emphasised that the process has dragged on too long and called for tangible results, while acknowledging the country’s efforts thus far.

Costa highlighted the importance of Corridors 8 and 10 for regional connectivity. Bulgaria has criticized Skopje’s reluctance to advance Corridor 8, which links the Adriatic and Black Seas through Albania, North Macedonia, and Bulgaria.

Mickoski, in a resolute tone, declared no intention to pursue new constitutional changes related to the Bulgarian dispute. He argued that North Macedonia has already altered its flag, name, and constitution without reciprocal gestures, asserting that the country’s European path should not hinge on bilateral issues but on European values. He indirectly blamed the previous SDSM government for the current impasse.

Mickoski vowed that, as prime minister, he would reject new demands, particularly from states he claims challenge Macedonian identity and language. He ruled out visiting Sofia for talks, despite earlier statements, delegating symbolic initiatives to President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, who has held two unofficial meetings in the Bulgarian capital.

The BGNES agency quoted Mickoski at the press conference saying he would consider including Portuguese and Spanish in the constitution, but not Bulgarians.

“Costa expressed the EU’s position. We have heard it, and I assume that we will continue to listen to it… A proposal signed in 2022 by the previous SDSM and DUI government to suspend Parliament, since a two-thirds majority is required to change the Constitution. You know how what was adopted was adopted. Our position is clear and principled—we cannot accept this without seeing goodwill and consent from the neighboring country. No one has a problem with the Croats, Montenegrins, Slovenians and the rest being part of the Constitution, because we have principled relations with these countries, even the Portuguese, the Spanish, the French. We cannot change the Constitution for any number of times without having a clear message and result from the Bulgarian side. This is a two-way street. If one side continuously implements and the other does not implement anything, then there is no point,” Mickoski stated firmly.

In an Euronews interview, Mickoski called on Bulgaria to recognise a Macedonian minority, arguing for reciprocity. However, this proposal lacks basis, as North Macedonia’s constitution recognises constituent minorities, while Bulgaria’s does not mention minorities.

“If we expand our Constitution to include more parts of the people, because there are Albanians, Serbs, Turks, Roma, Bosniaks, etc., then the question arises, what about the Macedonians on the other side of the border, who live in Western Bulgaria? If on the one hand you want to be a constituent people because of some proposal that corrupt politicians in the past have accepted, thinking that in this way they will stay in power, that all the criminal scandals they have committed will be forgiven, and on the other hand you have 14 decisions of the Court of Human Rights that say that there is a Macedonian community there that has its own rights to organize in clubs and organizations, and you do not respect the Resolution that you signed to protect human rights, such a Resolution was signed by Bulgaria, then the question arises, what is the argument against it,” Mickoski said.

Asked if he has partners in Bulgaria, Mickoski responded: “I don’t know. So far, I don’t see us having any. I haven’t seen one yet.”

He expressed his ambition to advocate North Macedonia’s position globally. “Let us learn to win in Washington, London, Brussels, Berlin, Rome, Paris and everywhere in the world, not only at home. Only in this way can you convince the world community of the correctness of your arguments. These are historical processes,” the prime minister emphasised.

Caption: North Macedonia’s Prime Minister Hristijan Mickovski attends a joint press conference with the European Council president in Skopje, Republic of North Macedonia, 15 May 2025. The president of the European Council is on an official visit to North Macedonia. [EPA-EFE/GEORGI LICOVSKI]