EU Accession Politics: North Macedonia’s opposition SDSM says PM Hristijan Mickoski’s Brussels visit could point to an EU negotiating breakthrough, specifically acceptance of the “French proposal” on constitutional changes for Bulgarians—while the government says nothing is secret. State Security & Accountability: An intelligence officer, Kiro Todorovski, convicted in the “Titanic” election abuses case, was later granted clearance for “state secret” access and posted to Vienna, prompting complaints to anti-corruption bodies over how he passed checks. Public Safety: North Macedonia’s Crisis Management Center issued a “code red” fire warning for very high risk across eastern, central and southern regions, citing worsening wildfire conditions and 25 fires in 24 hours. Sports (Skopje spotlight): Hibs head to scorching Skopje for the UEFA Conference League second leg vs Shkendija with two key creators back, while Shkendija’s coach warns recovery is “almost impossible” after tight scheduling. Local Economy: Residential property prices in North Macedonia rose again, adding to ongoing affordability pressure. Culture: The death of singer Djansever Dalipova, with funeral expected in North Macedonia, has sparked tributes.