Mickoski: Some EU states seek to alter North Macedonia’s identity

Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said that North Macedonia believes in European values and will continue its efforts to find a solution to the current impasse. He made the remarks during the “Concordia” Summit in New York, which is being held in parallel with the United Nations General Assembly.

During a panel with Georgia’s Deputy Prime Minister Maka Botçorishvilli, Mickoski spoke about the obstacles encountered by the European integration process. According to him, some EU member states are trying to use this process to change the Macedonian identity.

“We began our journey almost two and a half decades ago, but unfortunately, some artificial reasons prevented us from joining the EU. Perhaps one day we will reach this important point. Until then, the frustration of Macedonian citizens is immense, as in the past we have made many concessions: we changed the flag, amended the Constitution several times and also changed the constitutional name. For us, this seems like a story with no end,” Mickoski said.

He stressed that, in his view, some member states of the European Union are not seeking to change the institutions of North Macedonia, but the country’s identity.

“Unfortunately, some member states are trying to resolve bilateral issues and, instead of seeking changes to our institutions, they are seeking to change our identity. This has placed us under pressure: either you are in, or you are out. And if you want to be in, you have to accept what is being demanded of you,” Mickoski said.

Asked whether there were positive messages from Brussels, the prime minister said that the positions conveyed at the EU summit with Western Balkan countries in Tivat had been extremely positive.