Skopje, 31 January 2026 (MIA) - Commenting on the closure of the post-monitoring dialogue with the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said it was equally monumental to the day the country declared its independence. 

"It is yet another confirmation that it is equally monumental to the day the country declared its independence, because with this recognition by the Council of Europe, the closing of the post-monitoring dialogue, Europe recognizes that this country is a mature democracy, that human rights are respected and that we have a functional government that cares about this country's future. And with that, we are practically the only country in the Western Balkans that currently has neither monitoring nor post-monitoring. All other countries, including the so-called frontrunners, are either in monitoring or in post-monitoring. I am grateful to the members of the Macedonian Parliament who are part of the Mixed Committee. I am grateful to the Council of Europe. I am grateful to the European Parliament and to all those who made the decision. I will just remind you, only three or four months ago, an EU member state closed the post-monitoring dialogue, that is neighbouring Bulgaria," Mickoski said after Saturday's opening of renovated Kiril Pejchinovikj high school in Tetovo. 

The PM said the decision proved that the Government respects human rights, democracy and freedom of speech.

"This shows and proves yet again that this Government has surpassed all previous governments in terms of respecting human rights, democracy, freedom of speech, etc. And we should not stop here. We need to work even harder and deliver further," Said PM Mickoski. 

Photo: screenshot