Zaev: The voice of the youth is one of the future


Prime Minister Zoran Zaev congratulated Sunday the International Youth Day-August 12, urging young people to be vocal critics, alert avant-garde and champions of Macedonia’s future, because the voice of the youth is one of the future. “International Youth Day is best observed through year-round permanent engagement and commitment to youth issues. Young people have fought …

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Ilinden Uprising controversy: Zaev in conciliatory signal to Bulgaria


Zoran Zaev has emphasised the “sincere friendship and co-operation” between his country and Bulgaria, in a move to clear away the controversy over his earlier statement that Ilinden–Preobrazhenie Uprising was a Macedonian insurrection. Zaev’s statement caused the opposition Bulgarian Socialist Party to challenge Prime Minister Boyko Borissov over his “silence” on the matter, after which …

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The SEC: 251 citizens have filed applications for voting abroad


The State Election Commission (SEC) said Saturday that 251 citizens have thus far filed applications for voting abroad at the September 30 referendum. Of the 251 applications, 127 have been accepted, while 124 are currently being processed, says SEC. Most of the applications have been filed for voting in Bern and Vienna, followed by Ljubljana, …

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Ademi calls on expats to vote in upcoming referendum


Diaspora Minister Edmond Ademi has called on all expats to register to vote in the upcoming referendum by submitting a request at the State Electoral Commission’s website dijaspora.sec.mk. ‘Dear compatriots from the diaspora,’ Ademi said in a public announcement Friday urging expats to exercise their civic duty and vote to contribute towards ‘a better future …

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Zaev–Scaparrotti: NATO membership offers prosperous future to Macedonia


 NATO membership status offers prosperous future to Macedonia and will have favorable effect on the security and prosperity of the entire region, Prime Minister Zoran Zaev and General Curtis Scaparrotti, head of US European Command and NATO’s supreme allied commander, concluded Thursday in Skopje. PM Zaev extended gratitude for NATO’s decision to invite Macedonia to …

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PM Zaev’s remarks on Ilinden Uprising raise hackles in Bulgaria


Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov gave a rebuke on August 9 to his Macedonian counterpart Zoran Zaev, who had said at the weekend that the Ilinden–Preobrazhenie Uprising was a Macedonian insurrection. Borissov said that the issue was one for historians, but also cautioned that such statements should be weighed carefully and could have repercussions down …

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Greco report: Macedonia implemented only 6 of 19 anti-corruption recommendations


In its second compliance report released today, GRECO (Group of States against Corruption) finds that the Republic of Macedonia made no substantial progress in implementing recommendations on preventing corruption among MPs, judges and prosecutors. Calling the country’s performance at this stage “clearly disappointing”, the Council of Europe’s anti-corruption group urges the authorities to take more determined …

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Arguments “in favour” and “against” the agreement with Greece


The non-governmental organization Macedonian Center for International Cooperation (MCIC) reported that only 3.1 per cent of the respondents read the name agreement that the Macedonian government has reached with Greece and that a small part of the ethnic Macedonians are ready to support it at a referendum, although a large percentage will still vote. Public …

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Levica Initiates procedure for the constitutionality of the referendum


Political party Levica filed an initiative to assess the constitutionality and legality of the decision to hold a referendum passed by the Parliament of Macedonia. The decision, according to the political party, is not in accordance with the Constitution, the Law on Referendum, and the established European standards and good referendum practices established by the …

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Scaparrotti to visit Macedonia today


General Curtis Scaparrotti, head of U.S. European Command and NATO’s supreme allied commander, is visiting Macedonia on Thursday. He is set to meet with PM Zoran Zaev. Earlier, General Scaparrotti will be officially welcomed at the Ministry of Defence, where he will meet with delegation from the Defence Ministry and the Army, led by Defence …

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Komercijalna Banka and Balfin Group acquire Tirana Bank


Piraeus Bank S.A. announces that it has entered into an agreement with the Balfin Group and the Komercijalna Banka, for the sale of shares in its subsidiary in Albania, Tirana Bank. The transaction is subject to customary conditions, including regulatory and other approvals by the respective authorities in the European Commission, Greece and Albania, as …

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Global Slavery Index: 18,000 Macedonian citizens live in modern slavery


 About 18,000 people or 8.7 in 1,000 Macedonian citizens live in modern slavery, shows the Global Slavery Index 2018, developed by the United Nations and Walk Free Foundation. Macedonia is ranked third, behind Turkmenistan and Belarus, on the list of countries from Europe and Central Asia according to this indicator. Luxembourg is the best-ranked country, …

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State Election Commission to spend EUR 2,7m for upcoming referendum


The State Elections Commission intends to spend about MKD 170 million (app. EUR 2,7 million) for the referendum on  Macedonia-Greece agreement, scheduled for 30 September. ‘SEC is obliged to adopt the financial plan and its first draft sets the total sum of the referendum expenditures at MKD 170 million (app. EUR 2,7 million), cutting for …

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Fouéré: Macedonia needs inclusive debate if referendum is to succeed


With a date set for the referendum on the agreement between Greece and Macedonia aimed at resolving the long standing name dispute between both countries, the Macedonian government led by Zoran Zaev will need to embark on a major information campaign in the weeks that remain before the vote, former EU Ambassador to Macedonia Erwan …

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Political parties in Macedonia against border changes in the region


The recent debates concerning territorial exchanges and border changes between Kosovo and Serbia have also sparked reactions in Macedonia, but all political forces are against these border changes. SDSM in power led by PM Zoran Zaev declared that its policies are driven by the principle of no border changes in the Balkans. “Our policies are …

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