"Friendly Countries": A Warmer Tone Between Skopje and Pristina, Days After the Struga Consulate Closure
Kurti and Mickoski agreed to continue existing projects. Whether this is a real shift or diplomatic register remains to be seen.
Just days after Kosovo closed its General Consulate in Struga — a move that left an open question about the tone between the two governments — Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, following his meeting with Hristijan Mickoski in New York, described Kosovo and Macedonia as "not just neighbours, but friendly countries" and "partners sharing common interests" in peace, security, development and Euro-Atlantic integration.
Mickoski, for his part, stressed the importance of advancing good-neighbourly relations and regional cooperation. Both sides agreed to continue implementing the coal agreement and to speed up procedures for the Prizren-Tetovo tunnel.
The language of the meeting — "friendly countries," "shared interests," agreement to continue existing projects — is notably warmer than the neutral, administrative tone of the statement announcing the Struga consulate closure, which offered no specific reason for the timing of the decision.
Whether the warmer tone from New York reflects a genuine shift in bilateral relations, or is standard diplomatic register for a sideline meeting at the General Assembly, remains to be seen in the months ahead — concrete results, like the tunnel, still await Macedonian ratification.
MKNews Hub · World · September 24, 2026
