Macedonia

Macedonia Media Rank Minister Pay Scandal Murkiest

The unresolved case of Justice Minister Mihajlo Manevski, who had been illegally receiving both a minister’s salary and a state pension for several months, has been chosen by Macedonian media editors as the murkiest corruption-related case in June. The case garnered 17 out of 19 votes from Macedonia’s top media …

Read More »

EU to seek visa-free travel for Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia

BRUSSELS, Belgium The European Commission (EC) will ask the EU Council next week to offer visa-free travel to citizens of Montenegro, Serbia and Macedonia, EU Justice Commissioner Jacques Barrot said on Thursday (July 9th). Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn will officially present the proposal in Strasbourg on Tuesday. It will require …

Read More »

Macedonian Parliament in Heated Reshuffle Debate

The start of a Macedonian parliamentary session to debate the recent reshuffling of the cabinet of centre-right Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski and to appoint new ministers has so far been marked by a heated verbal exchange between the PM and the outgoing Finance Minister Trajko Slaveski, who was fired on …

Read More »

EU to Lift Visas on Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro

The European Commission will propose lifting visa restrictions on three Western Balkans states – Macedonia, Serbia and Montengro – the Justice Commissioner confirmed Friday. “A proposal will be made next Tuesday in Strasbourg to liberalize visas for nationals of the Western Balkans,” Jacques Barrot said in Brussels. “Under this proposal, …

Read More »

Macedonia To Verify Govt Reshuffle Friday

The reshuffling of the Macedonian government led by centre-right Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski will be verified in Parliament on Friday. Parliamentary Speaker Trajko Veljanoski expressly set the session for the dismissal and appointment of ministers after several members of Gruevski’s team on Wednesday resigned and one was dismissed in what …

Read More »

Macedonia State Gifts ‘Unconstitutional’

Government donations of state-owned land to the country’s two leading religious communities to erect a church and a mosque in Skopje will fail in the Constitutional Court, law experts warn. The move represents an attempt to indirectly finance religious communities and contradicts the secular character of the state, they say.

Read More »

Macedonia Keeps “Name” Referendum Plans

Macedonian top officials late Wednesday held a meeting to discuss the latest talks with the UN “name” row mediator Matthew Nimetz, reiterating that any possible compromise with Greece over Macedonia’s name would have to be supported by the public. The meeting, summoned by Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov, was attended by …

Read More »

UN mediator Nimetz visits Skopje

SKOPJE, Macedonia The UN mediator in the name dispute between Macedonia and Greece, Matthew Nimetz, arrived on a two-day visit to Skopje on Monday (July 6th) and met with Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki. Joining them was Macedonia’s representative in the name talks, Zoran Jolevski.

Read More »

EU: Macedonia Needs Tangible Results

Macedonia has to produce some concrete results very soon if it wishes to make a positive impression before the European Commission drafts its report on the country’s progress this fall, the EU ambassador to the country said. At a press conference in Skopje yesterday afternoon, EU Ambassador to Macedonia Erwan …

Read More »

UN Name Mediator Tests Waters in Macedonia

The UN mediator in the “name” dispute between Greece and Macedonia did not table any new proposals during his two-day visit to Macedonia, local media reported, but only “felt the pulse” of the local authorities. On his arrival on Monday afternoon, Matthew Nimetz met with Macedonia’s Foreign Minister, Antonio Milososki. …

Read More »