EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, has urged North Macedonia to advance the necessary steps to begin EU membership negotiations, BGNES reported.

Recalling the June 2022 decision by the Macedonian Parliament to adopt the so-called “French proposal,” which requires North Macedonia to recognize Bulgarians in its constitutional preamble before starting EU talks, Kallas emphasized the importance of perseverance. Speaking alongside Macedonian Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski in Skopje, she said, "You know better than anyone that the path to membership is not easy. My message is to keep on this course and take the next steps needed to start negotiations." She also assured continued EU support for North Macedonia’s efforts to strengthen the rule of law, fight corruption, and modernize its public administration, highlighting the role of political will.

Kallas stressed that integrating the Western Balkans into the EU is the best safeguard for peace and security in the region, especially given the current geopolitical tensions worldwide. She noted that North Macedonia is already the first Western Balkans country to benefit from the EU Growth Plan and to sign an EU security and defense cooperation agreement. When asked if the EU had an alternative “Plan B” for North Macedonia’s integration, following earlier statements by European Council President Antonio Costa that no such plan exists, Kallas was clear: “We focus on Plan A and try to make it work. If we focus on Plan B, Plan A risks being abandoned. We still believe in Plan A, and if it doesn’t work, we will move on to the next phase.”

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski expressed optimism about possible talks between Sofia and Skopje during the upcoming NATO summit in The Hague, where Bulgarian President Rumen Radev and Macedonian President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova will also attend. He sees this meeting as an excellent chance for a bilateral discussion with the participation of European Council President Antonio Costa, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Kaja Kallas. Mickoski pointed out that this would provide an opportunity to present North Macedonia’s arguments and hopefully clear up unresolved issues, including the question of the 200,000 Macedonian minority in Bulgaria, asking rhetorically, "Where did they disappear?"

He underlined that Skopje has contributed to regional stability but acknowledged ongoing provocations in the area. “It is positive that we will sit down and talk with the other party,” Mickoski said, adding that hearing new arguments from Bulgaria could help move forward. He reiterated his country’s desire for a solution that would lift the block on its EU accession process, saying he is tired of bilateral disputes hindering progress.