Von der Leyen in Skopje on Friday: meetings with Siljanovska-Davkova and Mickoski — the dispute with Bulgaria also on the table

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen arrives in Skopje on Friday as part of her tour of the Western Balkan countries, her cabinet has announced. She will meet President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova and Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski.

The talks will focus on the European perspective of the country and the region, as well as the EU accession process. According to the announcements, the problem with Bulgaria and the possibilities for overcoming it are also expected to be discussed.

North Macedonia’s foreign minister, Timčo Mucunski, told the media ahead of the visit that North Macedonia wants a solution with Bulgaria that guarantees the predictability of the European integration process. According to him, there is a willingness from the European institutions and from some EU member states to help intensify mutual engagement and open space for discussion, but Skopje’s positions are absolutely clear — at the moment there are no conditions for constitutional changes because of the way Bulgaria is positioning itself.

Mucunski stressed that bilateral contacts with Sofia have brought no progress so far, so the help of the interested party — the EU — is needed. “Our red line,” the minister said, “is to find a solution that guarantees us predictability and security.”

The European Commission president begins her Western Balkans tour on September 30 with Albania, before continuing on to Kosovo and Montenegro. This time Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina are not part of the agenda; European Commission spokesperson Ariana Podesta announced that the two countries were left out because they are preparing for elections — Serbia holds snap parliamentary elections on October 25, while Bosnia and Herzegovina’s general elections are scheduled for October 4.