North Macedonia's Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski launched a personal attack against Bulgarian Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev, likening him to a “mouse” and dismissing his relevance in the ongoing political dialogue between the two countries. Mickoski made the comments during a media appearance following a visit to the Red Cross in Skopje, which is marking its 80th anniversary.

The Prime Minister's remarks came in response to Georgiev’s earlier statement, in which the Bulgarian Foreign Minister accused Mickoski of engaging in "fruitless suggestion battles" instead of supporting his country's progress. Georgiev also said the Macedonian leader appeared disinterested in his country’s positive development and stressed that the citizens of North Macedonia deserved both European Union membership and leadership capable of guiding them there. He suggested Mickoski was resorting to crisis PR to cover for broken promises made to his people.

Asked by reporters whether he would issue an official reaction to Georgiev’s statement, Mickoski responded with derision and personal insults. He dismissed the Bulgarian minister as a “boy” and claimed he was merely carrying out instructions from unnamed outside actors.

“This boy was sent to provoke me, to attract my attention,” Mickoski said, urging the media not to give Georgiev any further platform. “This is a government that someone else is running from the shadows. They gave him a task: go and stir things up. It’s like a mouse trying to tease a lion.”

He reiterated his disdain by adding, “I wouldn’t like to comment on this boy.”

The sharp rhetoric reflects the escalating tension in diplomatic exchanges between Sofia and Skopje. Mickoski’s comparison, casting himself as a “lion” in contrast to Georgiev’s “mouse,” was clearly intended to undermine the Bulgarian official’s authority and to frame the Bulgarian position as externally manipulated.

The war of words highlights the fragile relations between Bulgaria and North Macedonia amid ongoing disputes over historical and political issues tied to North Macedonia’s EU accession path. While Bulgaria insists on respect for its positions and national dignity, Skopje has repeatedly accused Sofia of obstructionism and interference.

With Mickoski’s latest remarks, the tone of the dispute has taken on an openly confrontational and personal dimension, leaving little room for constructive dialogue in the near term.