All News on Social Issues in Macedonia
North Macedonia: Police find 148 migrants in trucks
Police in North Macedonia say they have discovered 148 migrants crammed into trucks in two separate operations in central and northern parts of the country, and have arrested two men on suspicion of trafficking migrants.
14-Day Quarantine for Persons Arriving in Bulgaria from Northern Macedonia, No Quarantine for Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro
The Minister of Health issued Order which introduced a 14-day mandatory quarantine for persons arriving in Bulgaria from the Republic of Northern Macedonia.
The same order lifted the 14-day quarantine for citizens arriving from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro.
Grevena officials oppose ministry's refugee housing plan
The mayor and the deputy regional governor in the town and regional unit of Grevena, northern Greece, expressed their opposition to a government plan to house refugees and migrants in hotels in the mountainous parts of the region in the coming days, as part of ongoing efforts to relieve pressure on camps on the islands.
Wildly Wrong: North Macedonia’s Population Mystery
This is the latest in a series of articles about the demographic crisis facing Central and Southeast Europe.
See also: Bye-Bye, Balkans: A Region in Critical Demographic Decline
North Macedonia Denies ‘Downplaying’ Bulgaria’s Conditions on EU Talks
The government in North Macedonia has rejected opposition accusations that has downplayed the tough preconditions that Bulgaria has set on the expected launch of EU membership talks and on the gradual solving of open issues.
IMF, EU 3bn Loan Welcomed in Balkans Despite Unknowns
EU candidate states from the West Balkans have welcomed the offer of 3 billion euros in emergency loans, to be distributed among 10 states bordering or near the EU, although the borrowing conditions remain to be determined, the European Commission confirmed to BIRN.
Navy ship to bring 450 migrants to mainland ahead of deportation, minister says
A total of 450 migrants who arrived in Lesvos after March 1 will be transferred by navy ship to closed camps on the mainland ahead of their deportation, Migration Minister Notis Mitarakis said in a television interview on Saturday.
North Macedonia police find 78 migrants crammed in van
Police in North Macedonia said a mobile border patrol on Sunday found 78 migrants, including six minors, crammed in a van during a routine checkup in the central part of the country and arrested two men, suspected for illegal migrant trafficking.
Tensions rise as more migrants reach Greek border
An increasing number of migrants is amassing at Greece's eastern border, abetted by neighboring Turkey, which provides buses to transport them to the area and has left its own border open.
Overnight tension continued, with some migrant throwing rocks at Greek police and the latter replying with tear gas and stun grenades.
43 Migrants were Found in a Truck in Northern Macedonia
43 migrants from Bangladesh have been found in a truck in Northeastern Macedonia, MIA reported.
The driver of the truck, a 29-year-old man, was arrested.
The truck was stopped for inspection on Saturday night at about 9.40 pm near a gas station after the police received a preliminary warning that it was possible a truck to transport migrants illegally.
North Macedonia finds 53 migrants crammed into a truck
Police in North Macedonia have found 53 migrants crammed into a truck in a southeastern border region and arrested the driver on suspicion of belonging to a trafficking gang, officials said Thursday.
A police statement said the vehicle was stopped during a routine check late Wednesday near the town of Valandovo, which is close to North Macedonia's borders with Greece and Bulgaria.
Return to Kosovo: The Serbs Who Re-Embraced Their Hometown
But in the recent past, Prizren has not always been such a problem-free place for Serbs. Out of a pre-war population of around 10,000 Serbs, Jevtic is one of only about 20 who returned after the conflict to live in the city today.
New facilities on mainland to host 15,000 migrants
The government's plan to ease pressure on Aegean islands amid the continuing arrival of irregular migrants from neighboring Turkey foresees 10 new centers on the mainland that will be able to host up to 15,000 asylum seekers, with the first 10,000 to be transferred from the islands to the new facilities by the end of February, Kathimerini understands.
Timeline: A Year of Democracy in Central and Southeast Europe
JANUARY
January 11 - Romania begins a six-month EU Council presidency amid anti-government protests at home and calls from EU leaders to respect the rule of law.
January 17 - Human Rights Watch's World Report 2019 highlights threats to journalists and minority and immigrants' rights as key problems in the Balkans.
Two men found hanged at hotel for migrants
Police are investigating the death of two foreign men who stayed at a hotel for migrants in central Macedonia.
A 30-year-old Afghan was found hanged on Christmas Day in the afternoon at a bridge by the hotel at Mouries, near Kilkis. Then a 35-year-old Iraqi national was found hanged in a corridor of the hotel.