Skopje, 6 June 2026 (MIA) - Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said Saturday that in the past two years since he took office, messages from the EU-Western Balkans Summit in Tivat were the strongest, i.e. that the enlargement process is not over. He added that French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz have sparked a strong impetus to continue ​​reforms and to deliver based on merit rather than bilateral issues, noting that this has been emphasized several times at the summit itself. 

As regards the non-paper by Macron and Merz, PM Mickoski pointed out that the institutions in Brussels have already received instructions to put this document into action, to enable greater use of certain tools by the countries in the region and more frequent high-level meetings.

"From what I heard from both the French President and the German Chancellor, and also during the working part of the Summit, I could conclude that the institutions in Brussels have already received instructions to put the document they have prepared, the "non-paper", into action and it represents a significant increase in the level of relations between the Western Balkans and the European Union, i.e. the document and the reform provide a mechanism which will enable greater use of certain tools by the Western Balkan countries and it is in no way in conflict with enlargement. These are two parallel processes. This is one process, and enlargement remains another process," Mickoski told reporters during Saturday's visit to the Public Health Institute. 

Mickoski said it was agreed at the summit to hold meetings more frequently, and no longer at the level of EU-Western Balkans summits - which take place twice a year, once in June and once in December - but at least twice a month.

"This enables talks with the people who make decisions and create policies in order to build the future together. Both the French President and the German Chancellor sparked a strong impetus to continue ​​reforms and to deliver based on merit rather than on the basis of bilateral issues, and this was emphasized several times at the summit itself. Returning from the summit I am truly satisfied and inspired to continue to lead the Government towards working with even more commitment and drive so that we can use all those tools that will be made available to us with these new mechanisms," Mickoski said. 

In response to reporters' questions on the country not being mentioned at the press conference in Tivat, as well as on the messages from European Council President António Costa and Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev that there will be no progress in the process without constitutional amendments, Mickoski stressed that his optimism is firmly based on the direct talks in Montenegro.

"My optimism is based on the fact that I was the only one from the Western Balkan countries who held bilateral meetings with both French President Macron and German Chancellor Merz. And I know exactly what was discussed at those meetings and I know exactly what will follow in the period ahead of us," the PM said, adding that he was able to resolve some dilemmas through the discussions with the interlocutors.

Mickoski rejected the thesis of certain experts that the plan from the non-paper cannot be applied to Macedonia because the country has not formally started negotiations by clusters. According to him, the document is precisely drafted to provide mechanisms even for countries that are only candidates or have not held their first intergovernmental conference.

"Merz and Macron's plan includes all the Western Balkan countries. Not all countries are at the same level in the process of integration, but it includes all the Western Balkan countries - the group of six and is not related to the enlargement process, since both continue in parallel. Yes, it is true, certain parts of this plan imply that certain chapters should be closed, but here too there will be certain shifts in the coming period," the PM added.

In response to a reporter's question, he reiterated that as long as he was the Prime Minister, he will never back constitutional amendments without a clear outcome. 

"I can only back constitutional amendments with clear guarantees that there will be no more bilateral issues and identity issues. I will never support anything else," said Mickoski.

As regards whether he found common ground on this topic at his meetings with Merz and Macron, he said that both EU leaders showed great interest, and he expects that in the coming period talks will intensify on this topic. He stressed that fundamental European values ​​should apply to everyone.

"We are ready to seek a solution, but it is unprincipled to mention respect for human rights, as the Prime Minister of Bulgaria said, while having fourteen judgments from the Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg on your desk and not allowing the Macedonian community in Bulgaria to register an NGO. Either the principles apply to everyone or they don't, these are the fundamental European values. It is important that we will be at the table in Brussels much more often and we will talk. That is much further ahead than we have been before, so I call on the Macedonian public not to succumb to any pressure that means an uncertain end, and additional national humiliation for the citizens of Macedonia. We must be careful and precise with a clear strategy that we have as a Government. We have friends and step by step we will reach the goal," Mickoski told reporters.

Photo: MIA