All News on Social Issues in Macedonia

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

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.

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.

Cabinet meeting to discuss legislation work

Greece's cabinet will discuss the government's legislation work in a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Monday.

Lies and half-truths

What do the Prespes agreement, Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Boris Johnson have in common? They are all involved with nationalism, populism, lies, half-truths and illegality. The rallying cry for nationalist opposition to Prespes, "Macedonia is Greek," was a half-truth. Half of Macedonia is certainly Greek. The other half is Macedonian.

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