EU Accession Referendum Push: SDSM leader Venko Filipče urged North Macedonia to hold a referendum on EU membership, arguing citizens—not PM Hristijan Mickoski—should decide after the government signals it will “pay the price” for refusing further concessions. Constitutional Change Fight: The opposition tied the referendum demand to the EU condition that Bulgarians be included in North Macedonia’s constitution, accusing the government of “lying” about what concessions mean and who bears the cost. Croatia–North Macedonia Deal: Croatia’s PM Andrej Plenković visited Skopje and Ohrid to sign a strategic cooperation agreement, with a business forum focused on infrastructure, energy, transport, and trade. Energy Cooperation: North Macedonia and Croatia also signed an energy-sector memorandum, framing energy security as both geopolitical and economic. Regional Security Context: Bulgaria’s PM Rumen Radev met France’s Macron in Paris, stressing security and energy diversification and explicitly raising North Macedonia’s EU track. Cross-border Crime Crackdown: Spanish police with Europol and Serbian investigators dismantled a network smuggling Cuban nationals into Spain via the Western Balkans, using routes through North Macedonia. Civil Protection Leadership: Rade Rajkovchevski joined Crisis Lab’s advisory board, bringing experience from South-Eastern Europe disaster preparedness and policing/crisis management work.