Bulgaria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has strongly condemned recent comments made by North Macedonia’s Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski, calling them incompatible with basic norms of diplomatic and political dialogue, as well as with the principles of good neighborly relations.
The sharp reaction came after Mickoski responded to being labeled the “North Macedonian Prime Minister” by Bulgaria’s Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev, saying: “They gave him a task—to provoke, just like a mouse taunting a lion.”
“I wouldn’t comment on that boy,” Mickoski told reporters. “This is a government run from behind the scenes. They gave him a task—‘go and provoke.’ It’s like when a mouse teases a lion.”
Bulgaria’s Foreign Ministry said Mickoski’s language was “unacceptable and offensive,” and accused him of repeatedly using derogatory terms for Bulgarian officials. Such remarks, the ministry warned, are undermining the already fragile trust between the two Balkan neighbors and cast doubt on Skopje’s true commitment to the 2017 Treaty of Friendship and its ambition to join the European Union.
“This kind of rhetoric does not reflect political maturity or the values expected of a country aspiring to join the EU. Mutual respect, responsibility, and a constructive tone are essential for progress,” the statement read.
Bulgaria added it would not tolerate hate speech, personal attacks, or deliberate attempts to erode bilateral relations. It warned that inflammatory statements from Macedonian officials were fostering a hostile atmosphere and pushing the dialogue further away from normalization.
Earlier, Bulgarian Foreign Minister Georgiev stated that Sofia had “successfully prevented the European Parliament from being used as a platform for Mickoski’s domestic political propaganda.”
As of Thursday, Mickoski had not issued a response to Bulgaria’s statement. The dispute adds fresh tension to already strained relations between Skopje and Sofia, both NATO members, amid ongoing EU accession talks and regional efforts to foster stability in the Western Balkans.