Speaker Bio

Nikola Dimitrov is a diplomat, think tanker and political activist, committed to a democratic Western Balkans governed by the rule of law and the completion of the EU. After serving as National security adviser to late President Trajkovski in the trying crisis in 2001, he was appointed as ambassador to the US, when he also became the chief negotiator on the name issue with Greece. He also served as ambassador in The Hague and a co-agent before the ICJ. Leaving diplomatic service, he joined The Hague Institute for Global Justice as its Distinguished Fellow. As Foreign Minister of North Macedonia (2017-2020) Dimitrov was the chief negotiator of the Prespa Agreement, paving the way for NATO membership and GAC’s decision to open accession talks with North Macedonia (2020). He was elected as a member of Parliament in 2020, moving on to be Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs, a duty he held until January 2022. Nikola obtained a Master of Law Degree at the University of Cambridge in 1998, graduating from the Faculty of Law at the University of “Ss. Cyril and Methodius” in Skopje. He co-founded and leads the Balkan Center for Constructive Policies – SOLUTION since 2022 and is part of the Balkans in Europe Policy Advisory Group, Europe’s Future Fellows and ECFR.