EU Accession Pressure: The Alliance for Albanians says North Macedonia is stuck in EU integration “hostage to political calculations,” warning that constitutional amendments are the key condition and that stagnation is driving investment loss and youth emigration. Rule of Law Debate: In parliament, Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski escalated rhetoric against opposition leader Venko Filipche, while civil society groups again criticized the EU’s Rule of Law Report as a box-ticking exercise without real follow-up. Anti-Corruption Watch: Skopje’s Anti-Corruption Commission is investigating Government Secretary General Igor Janushev’s assets after Bulgarian media claims about a company in Bulgaria and opposition calls for a probe. AI Push: Skopje launched the Vezilka project for a national AI center, linking universities, institutions and firms to EU AI infrastructure via a three-year, €6.2m plan. Environment & EU Standards: Dojran Lake’s bid to join Natura 2000 faces threats from shrinking habitats and water level swings, while a regional report says Western Balkans coal plants keep breaching emission limits. Security Threat: A malware campaign dubbed StrikeShark targets organizations worldwide, including North Macedonia, using fake Cisco AnyConnect and Google Update installers to deploy SharkLoader and Cobalt Strike. Culture & Tourism: Bitola’s former Partizan cinema is being rebuilt into a multifunctional cultural center, aiming for completion by end-2027.