site.btaNorth Macedonia Foreign Minister Mucunski in Budapest: North Macedonia Seeks Clear Support for EU Accession

North Macedonia stands at a critical crossroads in its EU integration process and expects consistency in understanding its positions, as well as concerns over the 2022 negotiation framework, Foreign Minister Timco Mucunski said on Wednesday following a meeting with his Hungarian counterpart Péter Szijjártó.

A joint session of the governments of Hungary and North Macedonia governments is taking place in Budapest on Monday and Tuesday, alongside bilateral meetings between ministers. The delegation of North Macedonia, led by Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski, includes ten ministers and two deputy ministers.

Mucunski emphasized that despite years of difficult and unprecedented concessions, North Macedonia remains in the waiting room of the EU, facing an uncertain path shaped by constitutional amendments and additional bilateral demands from neighbouring Bulgaria. Despite these challenges, he expressed hope that through diplomatic efforts, North Macedonia could achieve its goal of joining the EU by 2030.

Szijjártó underscored the EU’s need for fresh energy, which, he argued, can only come from the Western Balkans. He criticized what he described as hypocrisy among certain EU member states, which he believes undermines trust in the accession process. While acknowledging that EU entry should be based on merit, he stressed that this principle must apply to all countries and that unresolved neighbourly disputes should not be used as criteria for accession. Hungary, he reaffirmed, has always supported North Macedonia’s full EU membership.

As part of the visit, Mucunski and Szijjártó signed an Exchange of Experts Action Plan, allowing diplomats from North Macedonia to benefit from Hungary’s experience in EU integration through its Diplomatic Academy.

Both ministers also expressed their shared interest in restoring peace in Ukraine. Szijjártó referenced discussions at the United Nations last week, suggesting that recent geopolitical shifts across the Atlantic could create new opportunities for achieving stability.