Nikola Poposki

{{Infobox officeholder

|name = Nikola Poposki

|image = Nikola Poposki in Tallinn (8th February 2012) (cropped).jpg

|office = Minister of Foreign Affairs

|primeminister = Nikola Gruevski

|term_start = 28 July 2011

|term_end = 31 May 2017

|predecessor = Antonio Milošoski

|successor = Nikola Dimitrov

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1977|10|24|df=y}}

|birth_place = Skopje, SR Macedonia, SFR Yugoslavia
(now North Macedonia)

|death_date =

|death_place =

|party = VMRO-DPMNE

|alma_mater = University of Skopje
College of Europe

}}

Nikola Poposki (born 24 October 1977 in Skopje) was Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Macedonia until 31 May 2017. Prior to that role, in 2010–2011 he served as the country's ambassador to the European Union.{{Cite web|author=Government of the Republic of Macedonia|title=The Minister|url=http://www.mfa.gov.mk/?q=node/146&language=en-gb|publisher=Ministry of Foreign Affairs|accessdate=2012-02-17}}[http://www.coleurope.eu/news/2801 College of Europe | Collège d'Europe News - Appointment of Mr Nikola POPOSKI (Montesquieu Promotion - 2004‐2005) as Minister of Foreign Affairs of Republic of Macedonia]

Education

Nikola Poposki received a BA in Economics from Skopje University and from Nice University in 2002 and a Master in Languages and International Trade in the EU from Skopje University and Rennes University in 2004.{{Cite web|author=Government of the Republic of Macedonia|title=The Minister|url=http://www.mfa.gov.mk/?q=node/146&language=en-gb|publisher=Ministry of Foreign Affairs|accessdate=2012-02-17}} He later received a master's degree from the College of Europe.{{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article7107214.ece |title= Which way will Nick Clegg turn?|author= Jonathan Oliver |work= The Times |date=2010-04-25 |accessdate=2011-09-17 | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100606034851/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article7107214.ece |url-status=dead | archivedate=2010-06-06 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.economist.com/node/2404749 |title=Charlemagne: Free the Strasbourg 626 |publisher=The Economist |date=2004-02-05 |accessdate=2011-09-17}}{{cite web|url=http://blogs.ft.com/brusselsblog/2010/04/europe-in-joyous-disbelief-over-nick-clegg-and-the-lib-dems/ |title=Europe in joyous disbelief over Nick Clegg and the Lib Dems |author= Tony Barber |publisher= Financial Times |date=2010-04-20 |accessdate=2011-09-17 | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720225736/http://blogs.ft.com/brusselsblog/2010/04/europe-in-joyous-disbelief-over-nick-clegg-and-the-lib-dems/ |url-status=dead | archivedate=2011-07-20 }}[http://www.vlada.mk/?q=book/export/html/6974 Government of Macedonia Bio]

Career

= Foreign policy =

Speaking to the Israel Council on Foreign Relations in March 2016, Poposki addressed, in his capacity as Foreign Minister, the recent critiques of the international press with regards to his country's handling of the migrant crisis. He stated: "We’re willing to give them humane treatment and safe transit, but no way will we take the burden for problems that the EU is not ready to resolve," referring to the directives demanded of European countries onto Macedonia even though the latter has been refused so far membership to either the European Community or to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.{{cite web|url=http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Macedonia-cant-solve-problems-of-migration-crisis-for-EU-FM-says-447582|title=Macedonia can't solve problems of migration crisis for EU, FM says|publisher=The Jerusalem Post |date=2016-03-11 |accessdate=2014-03-13}}

Awards and decorations

2016: {{ribbon devices|ribbon=ITA_OSI_2011_GUff_BAR.svg|width=50}} Grand Officer of the Order of the Star of Italian Solidarity{{cite web |url=http://republika.mk/605837 |title=Министерот Попоски одликуван со Национален орден од Италијанската Република {{!}} Република Online |website=republika.mk |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160822034722/http://republika.mk/605837 |archive-date=2016-08-22}}