Government Reshuffle: North Macedonia’s PM Hristijan Mickoski has presented a proposed cabinet lineup after coalition talks with VLEN and ZNAM, including Sašo Klekovski as new Health Minister and a new Ministry of Social Policy, Demography and Youth led by Djoko Velkovski; the deputy prime minister post for good governance is set to be abolished, with responsibilities moved into the PM’s cabinet. Coalition Power-Sharing: The agreement in principle covers how ministries are distributed across partners, with VLEN set to take six portfolios (including Justice, Culture and Tourism, and Inter-Community Relations), while other posts are expected to be confirmed after VMRO-DPMNE’s executive committee meeting. NATO Focus: NATO parliamentary leaders meeting in Istanbul urged stronger defense capabilities, tighter allied unity, and continued support for Ukraine, stressing that military power alone is not enough without resilience, infrastructure, and political cohesion. Regional Transparency Watch: A new report says Freedom of Information requests are rising across the Western Balkans, but access is still routinely blocked through delays, administrative barriers, and weak enforcement—highlighting North Macedonia among the countries studied. Migration Pressure: Frontex warns that citizens of China, Russia and Turkey are exploiting the Western Balkans’ visa-free access as a springboard to the EU, urging regional governments to align visa policies with EU rules.