Macedonian nationalism

North Macedonian police said they arrested a person who held a handgun and fired shots in the air at Thursday night's protest against the acceptance of a French proposal aimed at unclogging North Macedonia's stalled EU accession talks.

Another evening of protests in Skopje against the French proposal to start negotiations for the Republic of North Macedonia for membership in the European Union. Tensions rose after about 30 hooded demonstrators began throwing bombs and hard objects at the parliament building and police officers. 47 police officers were injured and 11 protesters were detained.

The Speaker of the Parliament of North Macedonia Talat Xhaferi did not put to the vote the proposal of the coordinator of the parliamentary group of VMRO-DPMNE Nikola Mitseski, who asked at yesterday's parliamentary session to consider the issue of negotiations with Sofia and the negotiating framework with the EU, BGNES reports.

On the Brink

Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov arrives for the European Council Summit in Brussels, Belgium, 24 March 2022.-EFE/JULIEN WARNAND

North Macedonia's opposition would support a constitutional change as a concession to Bulgaria, but only if Bulgaria guarantees that is all it wants to end the two countries' dispute, the head of the VMRO-DPMNE party, Hristijan Mickoski, told BIRN.

"There are individuals and marginalized groups, there are even political parties in the country that are funded by third countries that do not want to see North Macedonia in the EU and are working against a possible agreement between Bulgaria and North Macedonia," said the Prime Minister of North Macedonia Dimitar Kovachevski in an interview for the show "360 degrees", quoted by BTA.

No Honeymoon

North Macedonia's new PM, Dimitar Kovacevski [C] surrounded by his government ministers. Photo: EPA/EFE-GEORGI LICOVSKI

Dimitar Kovacevski has not even celebrated a month in office as Prime Minister, yet he is already faced with a fight to stave off an attempt by the opposition VMRO-DPMNE to force an early election.

The leader of the opposition VMRO-DPMNE in the RNM, Hristijan Mickoski, has asked Bulgaria to give written guarantees that it will not block his country on the road to the EU. He also demanded that the Bulgarians apologize to the RNM for "the massacre of 7,200 Jews in the Treblinka camp during World War II."

Not only did political newcomer Danela Arsovska win an election for Skopje mayor. Her victory helped brought down the prime minister too. What will the opposition VMRO-DPMNE want in return for its support?

VMRO-DPMNE is the absolute winner of yesterday's local elections in the Republic of North Macedonia, according to the latest data announced tonight on the website of the State Election Commission, Macedonian media reported.