Hristijan Mickoski, Prime Minister of North Macedonia and leader of the ruling VMRO-DPMNE party, has again criticized Bulgaria over what he described as the treatment of the “Macedonian minority.” Speaking at the opening of the VMRO–DPMNE Albania Association’s office in Tirana, Mickoski claimed that Macedonians in Albania enjoy opportunities to organize, preserve their culture, language, and traditions, and work freely to maintain their identity - advantages that, he argued, Macedonians in Bulgaria’s Pirin region do not have. He added that he intends to pursue measures to address this disparity, according to a post he shared on Facebook, as reported by BTA.

BTA notes that Mickoski’s statements contradict a protocol agreed during the second session of the Joint Intergovernmental Conference three years ago. The document explicitly affirmed North Macedonia’s commitment that nothing in its constitution should be interpreted, or used, as a justification for intervening in Bulgaria’s internal affairs to protect the status or rights of individuals in Bulgaria who are not citizens of North Macedonia.

In practical and legal terms, the clause prohibits Skopje from claiming recognition of a “Macedonian minority” within Bulgaria. BGNES emphasizes that Mickoski’s comments disregard this agreement, raising tensions between the two countries.