The U.S. administration under President Donald Trump has decided to impose a 33% tariff on goods from North Macedonia, despite the country’s recent efforts to strengthen its strategic partnership with Washington.
The new tariffs, which follow a pattern of tariffs targeting various countries, place North Macedonia nearly at the top of the list, alongside China, which faces a 34% tariff on its exports to the U.S. Serbia, ranked highest in the region, will face tariffs of 37%, while Albania and Kosovo are subject to minimal tariffs of 10%.
This decision comes after intensive diplomatic efforts by the Macedonian government, which has visited the U.S. three times in a bid to strengthen ties with the new American administration. Despite these efforts, the U.S. tariffs have sparked criticism within the opposition in North Macedonia, who argue that the prime minister’s visits to the U.S. have not benefited the citizens or the state.
Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski, however, described these visits as a “historical success,” stressing that the country had gained attention from Washington’s new administration. He emphasized that both Brussels and Washington are critical to North Macedonia’s future, with plans to attract more attention from the U.S. to the Balkans as a whole, rather than focusing solely on individual nations.
Macedonia’s diplomatic alignment with the U.S. was further reinforced when it co-sponsored a U.S. resolution at the UN General Assembly calling for an end to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, a move that generated mixed reactions. Additionally, the country has expressed willingness to support the U.S. by facilitating American gas exports to Europe via the “South Stream” pipeline, positioning itself as a strategic partner for the U.S.
While Mickoski remains optimistic about the benefits of engaging with Washington, the new tariffs pose significant challenges for the country’s economic prospects.
