Skopje, 30 January 2026 (MIA) - This is a historic day, I would say on a par with the day the country declared its independence, said Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski on the closure of the post-monitoring dialogue with the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).

"This means that Macedonia is no longer part of the Council of Europe post-monitoring dialogue. Unlike us, the countries that are considered frontrunners in the region - Montenegro and Albania - are still under monitoring or post-monitoring, while EU member-state Bulgaria closed the post-monitoring dialogue only three months ago," PM Mickoski told reporters.

The PM said the move is a recognition of the level of democracy in the country, refuting claims about the quality of democracy and freedom of speech.

"Some of you were present a few days ago, when I was asked the question on the Government influencing the freedom of speech. This is the biggest denial related to the quality of democracy and freedom of speech, rule of law and all processes that the Coe monitors," said Mickoski.

He added this is yet another good news, besides the one that saw the EU recognize the problem with transporters.

"There will be more good news in the coming period, so all those lies told and abused by the opposition are starting to burst like a bubble, but also people in media who propel those lies thinking they would harm me or the Government," said Mickoski.

According to him, the CoE says Macedonia is a mature democratic society governed by the rule of law, and freedom of speech is respected.

PACE proposed Thursday to close the post-monitoring dialogue with North Macedonia. By adopting a resolution, based on the report by Sibel Arslan (Switzerland, SOC) and Joseph O'Reilly (Ireland, EPP/CD), PACE welcomed the measures taken by the authorities to reform the judiciary and the prosecution services, as well as the government’s work on draft laws on the Judicial Council, the Public Prosecutor's Office and the Council of Public Prosecutors. It called on the authorities to adopt the draft legislation as soon as possible, taking into account the recommendations of the Venice Commission, and to implement the GRECO's recommendation to remove the Minister of Justice from the Judicial Council’s composition.

PACE proposed to follow the developments in the country in the framework of its periodic reviews, evaluating progress on non-resolved issues such as “the reform of the electoral framework, the judiciary and the prosecution services, combatting corruption, the pursuance of inclusive policies aimed at securing the rights of minorities and poor conditions in detention centres”.

Photo: MIA