Some 2,000 protesters staged an opposition rally in North Macedonia late Thursday to demand the resignation of the country’s Social Democrat prime minister, Zoran Zaev.
The conservative opposition leader Hristijan Mickoski spoke at the event and accused the Zaev government of being too conciliatory to neighboring Bulgaria, which recently blocked the start of negotiations for North Macedonia to join the European Union.
Bulgaria’s demands for the talks to begin include that the former Yugoslav republic acknowledge that the roots of its language are Bulgarian.
People drive cars honking and wave national flags during an opposition protest through a street in Skopje, North Macedonia, late Thursday, Nov. 26, 2020. Main conservative opposition leader Hristijan Mickoski has called late on Thursday leftist Prime minister Zoran Zaev to resign after his controversial interview given to one Bulgarian media in which he mitigated Bulgaria's occupation role in then Macedonia during the World War II. (AP PhotoBoris Grdanoski)
North Macedonia formally joined NATO earlier this year and furthered its efforts toward EU membership after reaching a landmark agreement with another neighbor, Greece, changing its name from Macedonia.
A protestor holds a banner reading in Macedonian "Either Zaev, or Macedonia", during a protest against leftist government policy towards Bulgaria, in front of the government building in Skopje, North Macedonia, late Thursday, Nov. 26, 2020. Main conservative opposition leader Hristijan Mickoski has called late on Thursday leftist Prime minister Zoran Zaev to resign after his controversial interview given to one Bulgarian media in which he mitigated Bulgaria's occupation role in then Macedonia during the World War II. (AP PhotoBoris Grdanoski)
Two men hold the old national flag as opposition supporters gather to protest the leftist government policy towards Bulgaria, in front of the government building in Skopje, North Macedonia, late Thursday, Nov. 26, 2020. Main conservative opposition leader Hristijan Mickoski has called late on Thursday leftist Prime minister Zoran Zaev to resign after his controversial interview given to one Bulgarian media in which he mitigated Bulgaria's occupation role in then Macedonia during the World War II. (AP PhotoBoris Grdanoski)
Hristijan Mickoski, leader of the opposition VMRO-DPMNE party talks to the supporters during a protest in front of the government building in Skopje, North Macedonia, late Thursday, Nov. 26, 2020. Main conservative opposition leader Mickoski has called late on Thursday leftist Prime minister Zoran Zaev to resign after his controversial interview given to one Bulgarian media in which he mitigated Bulgaria's occupation role in then Macedonia during the World War II. (AP PhotoBoris Grdanoski)