'Come Back Home': Does the Speech to Freshmen Have a Number Behind It
At the first academic lecture of the new school year, Prime Minister Mickoski urged freshmen to travel and gain knowledge abroad but always return home — a message not accompanied by concrete programs or incentives for return.
Prime Minister Christijan Mickoski, addressing freshmen at Goce Delchev University in Shtip, urged students: "Wherever you go, come back home, and let's fight for our Macedonia together." President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, meanwhile, called on students to "rebel, demand their rights and nurture a critical mind."
The messages come at the start of the new academic year, a traditional moment when politicians address the new generation of students. Yet behind the symbolic "come back home" message, there are no concrete announcements of new programs, scholarships or incentives specifically aimed at bringing young people back after studying or working abroad.
Statistics on youth emigration from North Macedonia, particularly after completing higher education abroad, remain a challenge the country has faced for years, and speeches about patriotism and ties to the homeland — however sincere — have no directly measurable link to emigration rates, unless accompanied by concrete economic opportunities and policies to retain young talent.
MKNews Hub · Macedonia · October 2, 2026
