The new compound name once we reach an agreement should be also the constitutional name of the neighboring country, a spokesman of the Greek government told a press briefing on Monday after being asked by a MIA correspondent on whether Greece would accept a name that would be used only internationally, but not within the …
Tzanakopoulos: Compound name should be accepted as constitutional Read More »
The majority and opposition in Macedonia have agreed today on passing the bills needed for the reforms in the justice system and the Judicial Council. Work groups from SDSM and VMRO-DPMNE have come to an agreement concerning disciplinary measures for judges who disclose classified information from the trials and in cases when the rulings of …
Majority and opposition agree on voting bills concerning reforms in the justice system Read More »
The Skopje-based Criminal Court has extended the detention of Vase Donevski, former director of the Government’s Service for General and Common Affairs, by another 30 days. The detention has been extended upon a motion by the Public Prosecutor’s Office for organized crime, following the expiry of the initial 30 days. The former government official Donevski, …
Court extends detention of former official Vase Donevski Read More »
Prime Minister Zoran Zaev met Monday with the German Ambassador Thomas Gerberich, whereat Macedonia’s reform steps and good-neighborly relations that lead to realization of strategic Euro-Atlantic goals were greeted. Gerberich conveyed Germany’s support for Macedonia’s Euro-Atlantic aspiration underlying that the country has majority support of the German Bundestag for joining the European Union, Government Press …
Zaev-Gerberich: Germany supports Macedonia’s bid to join NATO and EU Read More »
On 17 April, the European Commission is expected to publish the progress report on the Republic of Macedonia. Referring to sources from the European Commission, media in Skopje report that the country is expected to receive a positive recommendation for the launch of EU accession talks. According to these sources, this year’s progress report is …
Macedonia is expecting a positive recommendation by the EU Read More »
The latest statements by Prime Minister Zoran Zaev over the name dispute have again made waves between the ruling and opposition parties in Greece. “Following Zaev’s statements for the MIA news agency, in which he claims that Skopje is not negotiating a name for all uses, Greeks are asking themselves what is the Tsipras, Kammenos, Kotzias …
Kotzias and Koumoutsakos clash following Zaev name statements Read More »
In case of settling the dispute over Macedonia’s name, Berlin will allow Athens to postpone an implementation of austerity measure – cutting of pensions – for six months, according to Greek newspaper Ta Nea. Citing credible European sources, the paper says that the measure, which should be set into force on 1 January 2019, would …
Ta Nea: Berlin to award Athens in case of name settlement Read More »
Talks on increasing the parliamentary majority are resuming this weekend, while the entire process to that effect should be wrapped up by late April, Prime Minister Zoran Zaev told an open media briefing on Saturday. Ali Ahmeti, leader of the government’s coalition partner DUI, also supports the process for increasing the parliamentary majority, Zaev said. …
Zaev: Process for increasing parliamentary majority to be completed by late April Read More »
Macedonia wishes to develop friendly relations with Russia as the two countries have much in common, Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said in an interview with TV 24 Vesti (News) late Friday. However, there is no other alternative for Macedonia but the EU, NATO membership. Macedonia is not joining NATO to start wars. On the contrary the …
Zaev: Macedonia wishes to develop friendly relations with Russia Read More »
It seems that Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias, although indirectly, accepts Skopje claims about alleged Greece’s irredentist aspirations towards the neighboring country, opposition New Democracy shadow foreign minister Giorgos Koumoutsakos said. Koumoutsakos criticizes the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs over the statement of Macedonian Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov at yesterday’s joint press conference with Kotzias, who …
Minister of Labour and Social Policy Mila Carovska said Friday that retirement age limit will not rise and the pensions are stable and safe. Carovska at Friday’s press conference in the government informed about work done in the past 11 months. A total of 4.535 redundant workers received compensations, 90.000 citizens got higher salaries, funds for 138 new employments …
Labour Minister Carovska: Retirement age limit will not rise Read More »
The government has decided to elevate the diaspora issue to an institutional level and the state should pay more attention to building confidence with the diaspora, Edmond Ademi, minister without portfolio responsible for the diaspora, said on Friday. “We want the diaspora to identify with the state rather than with the political parties, which was the …
Ademi: Macedonia diaspora should identify with the state instead of political parties Read More »
Deputy PM in charge of EU integration Bujar Osmani held Thursday in Brussels a meeting with High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, in which he presented Macedonia’s progress after implementing the 3-6-9 Plan and lifting the remaining political hurdles on its path to EU membership. “I bring good news …
Osmani: Macedonia delivers reforms as promised nine months ago Read More »
Progress has been made involving some of the issues that have already matured and there are still differences for others, Macedonian Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov stated Thursday after his meeting in Ohrid with Greece’s Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias. Dimitrov said that the talks were ‘open and sincere’ and that for the first time a time …
Dimitrov-Kotzias Ohrid meeting: Progress made, but the hardest issues remain Read More »
Trial in Special Prosecutor’s Office (SPO) case dubbed “Titanic” will resume on April 26 after a defense lawyer asked for the trial judges to be exempted. Judge Osman Shabani said the lawyer’s motion would be forwarded to the Appellate Court. Lawyer Elenko Milanov urged for the exemption of judges Osman Shabani and Ognen Stavrev from …
Macedonia and Turkey can do a lot more in the field of investments and trade exchange. Back in 2012 we agreed that political relations are excellent but economic cooperation lags behind. Therefore we set the goal of increasing annual trade exchange to one billion dollars, said President Gjorge Ivanov in his address before Turkish businessmen …
Ivanov: Macedonia and Turkey can do more in trade exchange Read More »
Five men were killed near the Smilkovci Lake in Skopje on this day six years ago. The massacre took place on Maundy Thursday, prior to the Orthodox Easter. Kire Trickovski, Filip Slavkovski, Cvetanco Ackovski and Aleksandar Nakjevski, all aged between 18-20, and fisherman Borce Stefanovski, 45, were killed. Case dubbed “Monster” opened regarding the killings, with …
Macedonian and Greek Foreign Ministers Nikola Dimitrov and Nikos Kotzias hold fresh round of talks Thursday in Ohrid in an attempt to reach a deal on the issue of name dispute. Dimitrov expects progress in the name talks at Thursday’s meeting with Greek counterpart Nikos Kotzias. “The issue is important and all rounds of talks …
Dimitrov and Kotzias hold fresh round of talks in Ohrid Read More »
It’s very important that VMRO-DPMNE is coming back in the Parliament as a leading opposition party, US Ambassador to Macedonia Jess Baily said late Wednesday in an interview with TV 24 Vesti (News). ‘Having a strong opposition, active in Parliament, discussing laws is a critical part of the democracy, and very much a part of being the …
Ambassador Baily: Opposition’s comeback in Parliament is vital for democracy Read More »
Foreign minister, Nikola Dimitrov, said today that the process of negotiations about the name dispute is in a delicate phase, but he’s hoping that the spirit of Ohrid will help in overcoming differences about the contest which has lasted several years now. Dimitrov declared this following the meeting that he held with the head of …
Dimitrov ahead of the meeting with Kotzias: I am hoping on progress Read More »
