Diplomatic Case: A 44-year-old Skopje man pleaded guilty to setting fire to two Bulgarian Embassy cars in June. A psychiatric assessment is due at his next hearing on November 11. EU Accession: Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár visited Skopje, backing North Macedonia’s EU path in talks with officials. Foreign Minister Timčo Mucunski said dialogue with Bulgaria, EU institutions and member states continues, but no meeting with Bulgaria’s foreign minister is planned. Bulgaria Debate: Ahead of Sunday’s runoff, presidential candidates Iliana Iotova and Andrey Gurov clashed over North Macedonia. Iotova pledged not to retreat from Bulgaria’s agreed position; Gurov argued the French proposal strengthened it and protects Bulgarian citizens’ rights. Serbia Ties: Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski expects economic cooperation with Serbia to deepen. Separately, opposition SDSM is seeking an investigation into alleged transfers from Serbian ALTA Bank to North Macedonia; the National Bank says it supervises local banks within its legal powers. Jobs and Skills: North Macedonia and the ILO signed a 2026–30 programme focused on job quality, skills, workers’ rights and women’s employment.