The Day of the Macedonian Revolutionary Struggle – October 23 marks the founding of the Macedonian Revolutionary Organization in Thessaloniki in 1893. At the commemorative ceremony, Macedonian Prime Minister HristijanMickoskisays that he believes in a European future for Macedonia, but emphasized that this future must be built through reforms, knowledge, and strong institutions—all while preserving national dignity. He also acknowledged the fatigue felt by citizens due to the long wait, the conditions imposed, and various bilateral disputes.
The PM rejected calls to abandon the negotiations, arguing that doing so would mean forfeiting the opportunity to one day engage as an equal partner, as a member of the European Union. He likened politics to a game of chess, noting that small nations can succeed only through wisdom and unity.
In this context, he explicitly accused Bulgaria of leveraging its position as an EU member state to block Macedonia’s progress. Mickoski asserted that, prior to Bulgaria’s accession to the Union, issues concerning good-neighborly relations and the status of self-identified Bulgarians within the country had not been raised. He also stated that, at that time, it was not claimed that GoceDelchev, Jane Sandanski, Nikola Karev, and GjorchePetrov were Bulgarians, and that these issues became relevant only after Bulgaria joined the EU.