Serbian influence is no longer so focused in Skopje, which is just a bureaucratic center. Serbian influence is now concentrated in the triangle around Strumica. This is where pro-Serbian and pro-Russian elements are concentrated, both from North Macedonia, but also from Bulgaria and Greece. They have been active there for more than ten years. The role of Mickoski in the geopolitical project "Serbian World" is that of a "intern". He follows Vucic and Orban.

This was stated in an interview with BGNES by Arsim Zekoli, political analyst and former permanent representative of North Macedonia to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

"Last year, after the parliamentary elections, I said that Albanian parties should refrain from participating in the government with Hristijan Mickoski's VMRO-DPMNE," Zekoli stated.

He emphasized that the European Union is not as important to Mickoski as good relations with the United States, perhaps due to ideological similarities. However, his main line is that of Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán:

"Mickoski cannot be expected to commit to European integration. This was clearly seen with the appointment of Orhan Murtezani as Minister of European Affairs, and it is also evident from his constant messages that someone else is to blame both in domestic politics and in foreign affairs. It is always someone else who is to blame, never his party or his government," the analyst explained.

Zekoli pointed out that Mickoski's role in the "Serbian world" geopolitical project is that of an “intern". Anti-Albanian and anti-Bulgarian rhetoric are an integral part of this project.

"Vučić and Orbán have their own network within the VMRO-DPMNE, which has been operating long before Mickoski's arrival, since the time of Nikola Gruevski. The VMRO-DPMNE is an executor, but it has no strategic position. However, this is enough to cause damage to the state and to the very existential questions of Macedonian identity," he warned.

Arsim Zekoli assured that Bulgaria's attitude towards the victims of the tragedy in Kochani is "Mickoski's great sorrow" because it does not fit into the narrative of "evil Bulgarians who want to take away our identity." The damage caused by Mickoski's policy is not to Albanians and Bulgarians, but to Macedonians. As far as Bulgaria is concerned, citizens are fed up with this narrative of the "evil" eastern neighbor.

As expected, the VMRO-DPMNE always plays the "big bad wolf" card to distract attention from the real problems, Zekoli noted.

According to him, this is gradually fading away because the real social problems in North Macedonia are overwhelming all others.

Regarding Corridor 8, Zekoli pointed out that connectivity could make North Macedonia a factor on the geostrategic map, with which everyone will seek stable relations.

"Sabotaging this corridor means sabotaging the country's security. Serbia's position is understandable; from their point of view, this threatens their positions. But from Macedonia's perspective, it is absurd for anyone to oppose economic and national interests," the well-known Macedonian political analyst concluded. | BGNES