North Macedonian Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski unveiled a monument dedicated to Macedonian heroes in the Albanian village of Tuminets, according to a post on his Facebook page. The monument honors Macedonian heroes from the region, but at first glance one can notice the Star of Vergina at the top of the monument — a symbol that is part of the Hellenistic cultural heritage and is associated with Ancient Macedonia and Philip II of Macedon.
The monument, however, represents a provocation both toward Greece and toward Albania, which is considerably closer than North Macedonia to joining the European Union.
Photo: Facebook/Hristijan Mickoski
Provocation toward Greece and Albania
In practice, this monument violates the Prespa Agreement with Greece from 2018. This is because, in addition to agreeing to change its name and amend its Constitution, the then-Republic of Macedonia also renounced claims to the Hellenistic cultural heritage and history, of which the Star of Vergina is a part.
More troubling is the fact that Mickoski is violating the Prespa Agreement on the territory of a foreign state such as Albania, whose relations with Greece are themselves far from flawless.
The case of Fredi Beleri remains fresh in public memory. Beleri, an Albanian citizen of Greek origin, was arrested in 2023 and later sentenced by an Albanian court to two years in prison on charges of vote-buying during local elections. He was detained just days before the vote, yet still won the mayoral election in the southern Albanian municipality of Himarë while in custody. During the European Parliament elections in June, Beleri ran as a candidate for the Greek political party New Democracy and was elected as a Member of the European Parliament, which ultimately led to his release after spending 16 months in prison in Albania. The case significantly strained relations between Albania and Greece.
At the same time, the monument comes at a moment when Tirana is closer than ever to membership in the European Union. In this context, questions arise as to whether a potential deterioration in relations with Athens over permission for this monument could affect Albania’s European path — and whether this may in fact be one of the objectives behind Mickoski’s initiative.
Photo: Facebook/Hristijan Mickoski
Mickoski and the constitutional name of North Macedonia
“Today, more than anything, Macedonia needs unity. Let us unite around the national interests. For the future of our children. For respect toward our own history and the dignity of our people. Our ancestors did not divide themselves when defending freedom. They did not ask who came from where, nor who belonged to whom. Everyone stood under one name — Macedonia,” Mickoski wrote on his social media profile, adding that “Macedonia stands with its people wherever they may be, with respect, care, and sincere support.”
In his post, the North Macedonian prime minister once again avoided using the constitutional name of his country. It should be recalled that he had promised his voters that he would restore the country’s former name and revoke the Prespa Agreement with Greece, which together with the treaty with Bulgaria opened Skopje’s path toward NATO membership.
Mickoski has been in power in North Macedonia since 2024, but he has yet to fulfill this promise. In international appearances, instead of using the constitutional name “Republic of North Macedonia,” he often refers to the country as “my homeland” or “my country".
Thus, despite his earlier promises, he had until now appeared more cautious.
Where did he gain the confidence?
It is notable, however, that both the monument and Mickoski’s continued refusal to use the constitutional name come only weeks after an interview given by the Russian ambassador to North Macedonia to the state-affiliated newspaper Nova Makedonija, in which the ambassador spoke about an alternative to the European Union for Skopje — namely BRICS.
