Prime Minister of North Macedonia Hristijan Mickoski believes that the citizens of North Macedonia have done “enough in the name of European integration processes, in terms of concessions related to identity and deserve much more, even from some member states to be part of the table in Brussels”, BTA reported.
In an interview with TV Telma, shortly before the start of the meeting of the Executive Committee of VMRO-DPNME, at which changes in the government of North Macedonia will be approved, Mickoski stated that he protects and defends the country's constitution and will not allow it “to be humiliated and belittled again, without guaranteeing a clear, secure and predictable future for the citizens”.
”Over the past 20 years, "Since we received candidate status, we have done as much as any other country that has become an EU member or is advocating for membership in the EU, in terms of identity, and in the area of substantive reforms, I think we are much ahead of some members of the EU itself... If we do not get a clear plan that this is the last request and that from now on the merit-based principle will be applied and there will be no more bilateral requests related to identity, and there will be no more obstacles on this path... we are ready to work as much as necessary so as not to contribute to additional disappointment among Macedonian citizens," Mickoski said in response to a question related to the country's European integration.
According to him, North Macedonia currently has “better economic results than some EU member states“ and “for the first time in a long time, in 2026, there are more requests for the return of Macedonian citizenship than requests for release of Macedonian citizenship“.
“Somewhere around 672 requests are for the return of Macedonian citizenship, and somewhere around 318 are for release... Whether it is a coincidence, I could not say, but I believe in the Macedonian people, I believe in the Macedonian citizens, I believe in the potential. I am a university professor, I know what potential I have raised, I know what potential we have and what I also know is that we can do much more despite the fact that there are such forces that do not want us to do it“, said Mickoski.