Mickoski on October 23: Bulgaria uses its EU membership to obstruct, but negotiations should not be abandoned

Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski, at the ceremonial academy marking October 23, the Day of the Macedonian Revolutionary Struggle, held under the motto “Masters of Our Own Land”, accused Bulgaria of using its EU membership to obstruct North Macedonia's progress. That is the prime minister's assessment, and Republika's report cites no reaction from Sofia.

According to that report, Mickoski claimed that before Bulgaria joined the EU, good-neighborly relations and the status of Macedonians who declare themselves Bulgarians were not raised, and that Goce Delčev, Jane Sandanski, Nikola Karev and Ǵorče Petrov were not called Bulgarians. According to him, those issues became relevant only after Bulgaria's membership.

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He said historical memory is not subject to external approval and that no pressure can erase Goce Delčev from the people's consciousness. This is a very sensitive topic, since the dispute over Delčev and identity is at the center of Macedonian-Bulgarian relations. Historians and politicians on both sides hold different views, so we report this here as the prime minister's position, not as an established assessment.

On the European future, Mickoski said he believes in it and that it will be built through reforms, knowledge and strong institutions, while preserving national dignity. He acknowledged that citizens are tired of the long wait, the conditions imposed and the bilateral disputes. He rejected calls to abandon negotiations, arguing that this would mean giving up the chance that North Macedonia becomes an equal member one day. He compared politics to chess, in which smaller nations can succeed through wisdom and unity.

How does this fit with the European messages of these days? On October 23 in Brussels, Commissioner Marta Kos said North Macedonia must amend its Constitution to continue without further political decisions. Skopje says it is delivering the reforms, Brussels asks for a constitutional change, and Sofia, according to its positions so far, will not alter the 2022 European compromise. The source does not link Mickoski's speech to Kos's statement, so it is unclear whether it is a direct response.

What is known and what is not? The text of the entire speech has not been published, so we report the statements as given in Republika's report. It is also not known whether Mickoski proposes a concrete new step in the negotiations or in relations with Sofia. It is unclear how Sofia will react, or whether there will be a formal response.

What does it mean? The speech shows that the government holds the position that identity and history are not subject to negotiation, but also that it does not want to abandon the European path. The key question remains whether a formula can be found that reconciles these two things.

MKNews Hub · Macedonia · October 25, 2026