New Prime Minister of North Macedonia: Balancing Economic Growth and International Partnerships

On Sunday evening, the North Macedonian parliament officially confirmed Hristijan Mickoski as the new Prime Minister, representing the national conservative VMRO-DPMNE party. The government has a stable majority with 78 seats in the 120-seat parliament.

In Skopje, during the swearing-in ceremony, the new Prime Minister used the state name North Macedonia, in accordance with the Prespa Agreement reached in 2018 to resolve the longstanding dispute with Greece. Despite this, Mickoski stated that his government does not plan to amend the constitution to include Bulgarian minority rights, a requirement for starting EU accession talks.

The VMRO-DPMNE party won early May’s election and returned to power after eight years. The Social Democrats (SDSM) moved into opposition. In his program speech, Mickoski emphasized his government’s focus on economic development, combating corruption and upholding the rule of law. He also pledged to maintain partnership relations with the European Union and align foreign policy with its policies while supporting Ukraine and maintaining good relations with neighboring countries.