North Macedonia has made ties with Israel ‘foreign-policy priority,’ FM tells 'Post' - exclusive

North Macedonia has made strengthening relations with Israel a priority of its foreign policy and is seeking to expand cooperation in areas ranging from defense and investment to tourism and water management, Foreign Minister Timčo Mucunski told The Jerusalem Post during his first official visit to Israel.

Mucunski spoke to the Post in Jerusalem on Monday following talks with Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, during a short visit focused heavily on expanding bilateral ties.

“We have had a very strong relationship with Israel, but also myself with Gideon, over the last few years,” Mucunski said. “I think that this visit is an opportunity to move the bilateral relationship to the next step, to move from a place where we’re at right now, which is excellent bilateral relations, to having that relationship develop into various different areas of mutual importance.”

During their meeting, Sa’ar and Mucunski signed two cooperation agreements and discussed expanding ties in agriculture, water management, security, innovation, tourism, health, and education.

Expanding, investing in defense ties

Mucunski told the Post that the two sides also discussed cooperation between their defense industries, increasing investment and restoring direct air links between Israel and Macedonia.

“One of the first things that we talked about is if we can work together to establish a direct flight between Tel Aviv and Skopje, or Tel Aviv and Ohrid, which is our main tourist center and a city that I believe that every Israeli would love to visit at some point,” he said.

The two ministers also signed agreements focusing on education, culture, and sports, while tasking their teams with looking at further opportunities in water management, agriculture, investment, and defense.

Mucunski described a direct flight as an important first step toward increasing the movement of people and businesses between the countries.

“We would love to have more and more tourists from Israel visiting Skopje, visiting Ohrid, but as well as the entirety of our country,” he said.

The visit comes amid a noticeable increase in high-level contacts between Israel and North Macedonia - Skopje Mayor Orce Gjiogjievski visited for the MUNI EXPO in June, and MP Rashela Mizarahi led a parliamentary delegation from the Balkan nation in January. Mucunski said the trend reflects a deliberate policy adopted by the government of Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski.

Mickoski believes in stronger collaboration with Israel

“Prime Minister Mickoski himself believes that stronger collaboration with Israel is a necessity for our country to also be successful,” he said. “There are many things that we can learn from you. There are many common values that we share, both domestically and internationally.

“Since the formation of our government, we have made the bilateral relationship with Israel one of the priorities of our foreign policy,” he added.

Mucunski said he and Sa’ar communicate “on a fairly regular basis” and have remained in frequent contact despite Monday marking his first visit to the country.

Sa’ar, meanwhile, thanked North Macedonia for standing alongside Israel in international forums, particularly since the October 7 massacre.

“North Macedonia has demonstrated its friendship by standing up to these attempts in the international arena,” Sa’ar said. “We appreciate its voting record and its support for Israel. Israel values its friends who stand by it in difficult times.”

For Mucunski, one example of the relationship came following the deadly nightclub fire in Kočani in March 2025, which left 63 people dead, when Israel dispatched a medical delegation to Macedonia to help treat victims.

“Gideon Sa’ar was one of the first foreign ministers to call me,” Mucunski recalled. “I might not remember the content of the call, but I remember what happened very quickly after.”

A team of Israeli doctors arrived shortly afterward and began working alongside Macedonian medical teams, he said.

“They were performing surgery in our hospitals and helping our doctors with their experience and their in-depth knowledge, and helping to save the lives of many young individuals,” Mucunski said. “This situation was proof that Israel stands by my country.”

A European gateway for Israelis 

Mucunski said North Macedonia now hopes to position itself as a destination not only for Israeli tourists but also for Israeli companies seeking access to European markets.

“We want to be a gateway for Israelis who want to visit Europe,” he said. “But we want to be a gateway not just for tourists, but also for Israeli businesses.”

He pointed to Macedonia’s position along two major European transport corridors, investment in energy connectivity, and its efforts to attract foreign investment.

“We can also be a gateway for Israelis who want to invest in a European market that hasn’t been fully utilized by the Israeli business community,” Mucunski said.

Monday’s visit lasted only around 24 hours, but Mucunski said he expected it to be the first of more visits to Israel.

“This is my first visit,” he said, “but I am absolutely sure that it will not be my last.”

The Jerusalem Post will publish a longer, in-depth interview with Foreign Minister Timčo Mucunski later this week.