Czech Foreign Minister visits North Macedonia amid domestic policy disputes

foreign policy dispute Czech-North Macedonian relations constitutional lawsuit diplomatic coordination European Union accession

Czech Foreign Minister Petr Macinka recently visited North Macedonia to strengthen bilateral ties and support the country’s EU accession process. The visit included seminars focused on tourism digitalization and meetings with President Gordana Siljanovska-Dakovska and Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski.

Domestically, a significant rift has emerged between President Petr Pavel and the government led by Andrej Babiš regarding the direction of Czech foreign policy. During a meeting with ambassadors, President Pavel emphasized the need for a unified national team, stating that having two separate foreign policies is unacceptable.

In response, Minister Macinka asserted that the government determines the country's single foreign policy and challenged the President to withdraw a constitutional lawsuit filed regarding participation in a NATO summit. Critics and political analysts suggest this dispute reflects a deeper struggle over the constitutional roles and competencies of the presidency versus the cabinet.