North Macedonia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Aleksandar Nikoloski said on Saturday that a Strategic Partnership Agreement with the United Kingdom will be signed next week in London, under a government-to-government framework.
Addressing reports suggesting that the agreement includes provisions for housing asylum-seekers rejected by the UK, Nikoloski firmly denied such claims.
“The terms of the agreement were defined long ago and the negotiations are concluded,” Nikoloski said in an interview with Sitel TV. “There is no clause regarding migrant camps in the deal.”
He cited the UK ambassador to North Macedonia, Matthew Lawson, who had earlier denied the existence of any such provision. “The ambassador’s credibility should not be questioned,” Nikoloski added, noting that cooperation with the UK will focus on combating crime, corruption, and irregular migration—similar to the existing arrangement with Frontex.
“The best refutation of these claims will be the months and years ahead,” he said.
At a joint press conference with Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski, Ambassador Lawson reaffirmed that the agreement does not involve the transfer of migrants from the UK to North Macedonia.
“I’m pleased that the country has agreed to this cooperation, which concerns police coordination between agencies—something we already do with many European countries. It does not mean North Macedonia will accept migrants from the UK,” Lawson stated.
He said the agreement will strengthen joint efforts against organized migrant smuggling groups, enable confidential information sharing, and enhance coordination among security services.