Diplomacy & National Symbols: Albania’s PM Edi Rama urged Tirana not to answer a nationalist anthem dispute after only North Macedonia’s anthem was played at an event in Pustec attended by North Macedonia’s PM, calling it an “old-style Balkan nationalism” test of minority rights. Foreign Policy Appointments: North Macedonia’s Foreign Minister Timco Mucunski named career diplomat Krum Efremov as the new ambassador to Bulgaria, saying Skopje and Sofia keep constant dialogue on issues tied to North Macedonia’s EU path. EU Alignment: North Macedonia joined other non-EU European states in backing EU restrictive measures against Belarus, with EU chief Kaja Kallas welcoming the commitment. Public Safety & Migration: Bulgarian border police detained 35 people claiming Afghan nationality after an irregular entry attempt; the driver was reported as a North Macedonian citizen, under a new law allowing up to seven days in screening centers. Culture & Memory: Macedonian director Milcho Manchevski discussed his Sarajevo Film Festival documentary “Good People,” built around survivors’ accounts of the Kočani nightclub disaster, stressing it was recorded “unfiltered” and resisted political hijacking. Regional Mobility & Work: A report says the Balkans are increasingly importing workers from Asia as populations shrink, while EU-backed labor productivity comparisons place North Macedonia above Albania in output per hour.