Thewesternbalkans
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán paid a two-day official visit to Republic of North Macedonia on Thursday and Friday, where he held bilateral meetings with Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski, Speaker of the North Macedonian Parliament Afrim Gashi, and Timotej, Metropolitan of the Debar-Kičevo Diocese. He also led the Hungarian delegation at the Hungarian–North Macedonian Government Summit. In addition to the meeting of the two prime ministers and the joint meeting of representatives of the two governments, bilateral meetings of ministers from North Macedonia and Hungary have also taken place in Ohrid
At a press conference in Ohrid after a joint meeting of ministers from Hungary and North Macedonia, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said that Hungary is ready to mediate between Bulgaria and North Macedonia in order to find a solution “that is acceptable to both sides” and also he described as a historic mistake, for which he sees no reason the decoupling of North Macedonia and Albania on the path to EU accession.
“The peoples and countries of the Western Balkans deserve much more than what they get from Brussels. North Macedonia has been a candidate for EU membership since 2005 together with Croatia. Since then, the Croats have joined the EU, while the negotiations with North Macedonia have not even begun. This is a historic mistake that could be compounded because the country will be placed behind Albania, for which I see no reason. The challenge for the government will be to fight this unfair treatment,” Orban said.
The Hungarian Prime Minister said the separation of North Macedonia and Albania is difficult to understand and “the EU must also take into account national pride of the citizens of North Macedonia which has been hurt.”
“What is being served (by EU) is a blow to the national pride of North Macedonia,” Orbán said.
“If we must be frank, you should have been part of the EU a long time ago, and such EU actions open wounds,” said Orban, adding that North Macedonia should start real negotiations with the EU by the end of this year.
“The stability of the Western Balkans and EU integration is very important. EU membership is a huge opportunity. We have all seen that progress being made with it, but EU enlargement has lost its momentum and we need to secure it. We can’t ignore the fact that Ukraine and Moldova have received an extraordinary impetus on their path to the EU. However, we must respect the countries that have been working towards this for a long time and are now being put on the back burner, and that is not fair. And that is why we believe it is important for the Western Balkans to be part of the EU and that is why we want a quick process for North Macedonia to join the EU,” the Hungarian Prime Minister said.
According to North Macedonia’s Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski, only two parties were happy with the decision of North Macedonia and Albania to be separated on their way to EU membership – “the politicians of the eastern neighbour (Bulgaria) and the opposition” in North Macedonia.
“We should not lose hope and be disappointed, although we have been disappointed many times. I regret that this is happening and that we have to be victims of bilateralisation (of European integration) once again. We will continue to work on the problems at home. It is good that we have friends in the EU and these friends want to spread our voice in the EU, one of these friends is Viktor Orban, and what has happened here in the last two days is a symbol of friendship. I wish the Albanian Government all the best, a speedy conclusion to the negotiations and EU membership. I hope that we can also be part of this family and sit at this table,” said Mickoski, who assessed Viktor Orban’s visit “as proof of excellent friendly relations and cooperation that are deepening every day.”
“Strategic projects, such as the North-South transport and energy corridor connecting the Balkans with Hungary, which is of great importance for energy security and economic growth of the whole region,” Mickoski gave an example, adding that cooperation with Hungary would be key for the successful implementation of these initiatives.
Discussing bilateral cooperation, the Hungarian PM recalled the assistance Hungary provided to North Macedonia over the summer to help combat the severe forest fires. This support, he noted, was in reciprocation for the help Hungary received from North Macedonia, particularly during 2015–2016, in the fight against illegal migration. It was during this period that Hungarians came to realize that North Macedonia is not only a friendly and welcoming nation, but also a critical partner in ensuring Hungarian security, given its location along the migration route. ‘If you do not protect your borders, we are forced to confront this issue at the Serbian–Hungarian border,’ he stated, pledging full support to the North Macedonian government as needed.
He also noted that 2,400 Hungarian police officers had recently been deployed to North Macedonia’s southern border, successfully preventing 17,000 illegal border crossings. ‘This demonstrates Hungary’s willingness to cooperate financially and to consider extending a loan to North Macedonia—if Skopje requires it—as an investment in Hungary’s own security,’ he stated, extending an offer for economic cooperation.
‘Hungary is a prime example of how strong bilateral relations and shared visions can yield tangible results,’ stated Hristijan Mickoski. He pointed out that Hungary has consistently supported North Macedonia, even in the most challenging times, particularly in its efforts toward European integration. ‘For instance, Hungary was among the first countries to recognise the Macedonian people’s aspiration for independence and has been a steadfast advocate for EU enlargement, including North Macedonia’s accession. We also share Hungary’s vision of a united Balkans, where all countries in the region are part of the European family,’ he explained.
Mickoski added that during his one-on-one meeting with Viktor Orbán they discussed a range of topics related not only to bilateral relations but also to regional dynamics. ‘We share a common vision for the stability and economic development of the region, and we also explored concrete projects that will foster the growth of our communities and businesses—such as infrastructure projects that will connect the Balkans with Hungary, which are crucial for the energy security and economic development of the entire region.’
A loan of 500 million euros from the Hungarian Export-Import Bank was also in the focus of the talks between the prime ministers Hristijan Mickoski and Viktor Orban.
The loan will be withdrawn in one tranche, the loan repayment term is 15 years, including a grace period of three years, the interest rate is fixed and amounts to 3,25 percent. Macedonia will pay the Hungarian Export-Import Bank, a private company with limited liability, a commission for undrawn funds in the amount of 0,5 percent of the loan annually.
The loan will be repaid in 24 semi-annual installments, on February 15 and August 15 of each year. Additionally, Macedonia will pay a commission for rendered legal services to an independent firm selected by the Hungarian Export-Import Bank Private Limited Liability Company. The commission for rendered legal services will be paid before the withdrawal of the tranche.
Comments: The Ambassadors of EU Member States made an unanimous decision (including Hungarian Ambassador) on Wednesday to formally open the first clusters of negotiations with Albania on October 15. That means (for instant) to decouple Albania’s EU accession path from North Macedonia’s due to the Skopje’s failure to include ethnic Bulgarians in North Macedonia in the country’s Constitution.
The two Western Balkan countries’ path to EU membership was coupled with the start of negotiations formally launched in the summer of 2022.
Interestingly, the Hungarian ambassador to the EU, a member of COREPER, was not recalled after voting on September 25 and participating in such a “historic mistake“. This situation is very reminiscent of almost two years of fun with Hungarian positions supporting Russia and at the same time Hungary’s voting on sanctions against Russia within the EU Council. However, the Russians sniffed them out and finally declared Hungary NON FRIEND state.
It is also very interesting what kind of mediator Viktor Orbán can be between Skopje and Sofia to reach a “solution acceptable to both sides” when he is fully aware that there is no such solution.
It is a pity that even in Sofia the problem with the Republic of North Macedonia is used primarily as an element of the pre-election campaign.
On the other hand, we have to take into account that Viktor Orbán’s visit was not arranged after the KOREPER decision of September 25, but much earlier, which suggests that Orbán is using his visit to solve completely different issues and “settle scores with Brussels”, as well as to continue with the unification of the new right in the European Parliament.
Foto: Pixabey
