North Macedonia’s Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski is set to meet his Hungarian counterpart, Viktor Orban, during a two-day intergovernmental summit in Hungary, marking the second such meeting between the two governments in less than six months, DW in Macedonian language reports.
The summit, taking place on March 3-4, includes a bilateral meeting between Mickoski and Orban, followed by discussions between ministers from both countries, and concluding with a joint government session, the North Macedonian government said in a statement.
As part of the visit, North Macedonia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Timcho Mutsunski, and Hungary’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Péter Szijjártó, are expected to sign an action plan for expert exchanges under the Hungarian Diplomatic Academy. The initiative aims to enhance expertise on EU integration, administrative processes within North Macedonia’s foreign ministry, and Budapest’s foreign trade policies, the government added.
Following the session, Mickoski and Orban will hold a joint press conference.
No Mediation Role
The meeting follows a previous summit held on September 27 in Ohrid, which Mickoski hailed as a reaffirmation of the countries’ strategic alliance.
“Hungary is not only our partner on the European stage but also an example of how a nation can successfully balance national sovereignty with global integration,” Mickoski said at the time.
After that meeting, Orban suggested Hungary, as the then-EU Council president, could mediate between North Macedonia and Bulgaria to resolve their long-standing dispute. However, Bulgaria’s then-interim foreign minister, Ivan Kondov, swiftly rejected the offer, stating that “the European agreement with North Macedonia is clear, and Bulgaria does not need mediators in this process.”
Deepening Ties
The growing partnership between Hungary and North Macedonia has been underscored by a €500 million Hungarian loan to Skopje. The loan carries a 3.25% interest rate, a 15-year repayment period, and a three-year grace period. Half of the funds have been allocated to support domestic businesses, while the rest is designated for infrastructure projects, particularly municipal development.
The Mickoski-Orban meeting also comes amid diverging positions among Western allies – the U.S. and EU – over strategies to end Russia’s war in Ukraine. Last week, North Macedonia co-sponsored a U.S.-led resolution on Ukraine at the United Nations, marking the war’s third anniversary.
Orban Criticized for EU Stance
While it remains unclear whether Russia and Ukraine will be discussed at the summit, Orban has recently urged direct EU-Russia negotiations.
“I am convinced that the EU, following the U.S. example, should initiate direct talks with Russia to achieve a ceasefire and lasting peace in Ukraine,” Orban wrote in a letter to European Council President António Costa.
Orban also noted that “strategic differences on Ukraine persist within the EU” and warned that consensus on the issue would be unlikely at an extraordinary EU summit scheduled for March 6.
Following a summit in London, where leaders of 19 European countries gathered, Orban criticized the decisions made, writing on Facebook:
“In London, European leaders decided that war, not peace, is necessary. They chose to prolong Ukraine’s war. This is wrong, dangerous, and unacceptable. Hungary remains on the side of peace!”
Since assuming the EU Council presidency in July last year, Orban has met both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin, triggering strong criticism from EU leaders. After Moscow implied that Orban was representing the European Council, several European leaders dismissed the claim, emphasizing that “he has no mandate to do so” and “does not represent the EU in any capacity.”
