North Macedonia pushes to keep Ohrid UNESCO status while pursuing EU accession reforms

Vice‑Prime Minister and Transport Minister Alexander Nikoloski said he is optimistic that the Ohrid region will retain its UNESCO World Heritage status and avoid being listed as a threatened site. He noted that the UNESCO General Assembly will open next week in South Korea, and that after a recent mission visit the decision on the disputed Trebenista‑Kafasan highway now concerns only the route selection. The UNESCO World Heritage Committee had previously postponed the region’s inclusion on the endangered list, giving Macedonia and Albania a year to meet recommendations.

EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos urged the Macedonian government to adopt constitutional amendments as a prerequisite for opening accession negotiations. She highlighted the need for reforms to boost the economy, improve standards of living, and align with EU programmes on health, AI, and cybersecurity. Kos also called for a cross‑party consensus on the electoral law to accelerate the accession process, while Prime Minister Christian Mikovski emphasized that EU integration must be based on clear criteria and reform commitments.