North Macedonia’s leader is angry at prospect of a new setback in his country’s bid to join the EU

SKOPJE, North Macedonia (AP) — North Macedonia’s conservative prime minister has reacted angrily to reports that his country’s troubled European Union accession bid hit a new hurdle because of a dispute with neighboring EU member Bulgaria. Hristijan Mickoski said Thursday the EU was trying to “dictate” its position and suggested that he would accept no further delay in North Macedonia’s membership talks with the 27-nation bloc. Mickoski’s comments followed reports that EU ambassadors meeting in Brussels on Wednesday decided to push ahead with neighboring Albania’s EU accession process independently of North Macedonia’s. The two had been moving together up to now.