Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said he has low expectations for the upcoming Mucunski-Petrova meeting in Sofia, citing what he described as the recent conduct of official Sofia.
Foreign Minister Timcho Mucunski and Bulgarian Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova-Chamova are expected to meet on Thursday, October 8. The talks will take place on the sidelines of an international ministerial conference on Corridor VIII in Sofia. Bulgaria’s Foreign Ministry has said there will be an opportunity for a bilateral meeting during the event.
Asked by reporters what he expects from the talks, Mickoski said he does not anticipate a major breakthrough.
“Taking into account my analysis, which I shared with the foreign minister yesterday, and I will again be diplomatically incorrect, considering the behavior of official Sofia, I do not expect confirmation, I do not expect anything,” Mickoski said.
He added that he expects some form of informal dialogue on the sidelines of the conference.
Mucunski-Petrova Meeting Follows Von der Leyen’s Visit
The initiative for the Mucunski-Petrova meeting emerged following European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s visit to Skopje on October 2.
During her talks with Mickoski, von der Leyen advised that Mucunski seek a bilateral meeting with his Bulgarian counterpart while attending the Corridor VIII conference in Sofia. Mickoski subsequently instructed the foreign minister to send a diplomatic note requesting talks.
Von der Leyen described such a meeting as a potential first step toward restoring momentum in Macedonia’s EU integration process. During her visit, she also reiterated that constitutional changes remain the key outstanding step for the country to advance in the accession process.
The Bulgarian Foreign Ministry has since indicated that the two ministers will have an opportunity to hold bilateral talks during Thursday’s conference.
EU Integration Remains at Center of Sofia Talks
Relations between Skopje and Sofia remain closely linked to Macedonia’s stalled progress toward the European Union.
Mickoski has called for dialogue with Bulgaria and greater EU involvement in efforts to resolve outstanding issues. He has also argued that the accession process should be based on clear obligations and should not be reopened to additional bilateral conditions.
Bulgaria, meanwhile, maintains that implementation of the commitments contained in the 2022 European framework remains necessary for further progress toward EU membership. Bulgarian Foreign Minister Petrova reiterated that position during an earlier meeting with Mucunski in May.
Thursday’s meeting will therefore provide another opportunity for the two foreign ministers to discuss bilateral relations and issues connected to Macedonia’s European integration.
