North Macedonia's center-right leader Hristijan Mickoski set to lead new government after parliamentary approval
- North Macedonia's parliament is preparing to vote on a new center-right government led by Hristijan Mickoski.
- The government is proposed by a party that won the national elections in May.
- Mickoski is expected to secure parliamentary approval to lead the new coalition government.
SKOPJE, North Macedonia - The center-right leader Hristijan Mickoski is poised to secure parliamentary approval to lead a new coalition government in North Macedonia following May's national elections. Mickoski, a former engineering professor, aims to continue the country's path towards EU membership, despite his party's nationalist stance causing tensions with neighboring countries. The VMRO-DPMNE party, led by Mickoski, demands a reevaluation of agreements with Greece and Bulgaria, which could face opposition from the international community. Mickoski's government faces challenges in addressing corruption, poverty, and reviving the economy, with promises to cut taxes, raise pensions, and achieve 5% economic growth. Mickoski's coalition with the ethnic Albanian Vredi party and the leftist ZNAM secures a comfortable majority in parliament, with plans to align North Macedonia with EU standards. However, the government's main hurdle lies in Bulgaria's insistence on amending the constitution to recognize a Bulgarian minority, a demand that VMRO-DPMNE strongly opposes. The previous center-left government's commitment to this amendment has been criticized by Mickoski's party as bowing to Bulgarian pressure, potentially hindering North Macedonia's EU accession. North Macedonia's entry into NATO in 2019, following a resolution with Greece over the country's name change to North Macedonia, marked a significant diplomatic achievement. However, VMRO-DPMNE's resistance to this agreement, as evidenced by President Gordana Siljanovska Davkova's use of the name "Macedonia," could strain relations with Greece and impact EU support. Mickoski's government faces the task of balancing domestic reforms with EU membership negotiations, which are anticipated to be lengthy. The vote on the new government must be concluded by midnight on Sunday, with Mickoski expected to secure approval easily.