Latest News from Macedonia
North Macedonia Doubts French Push to Solve Dispute with Bulgaria
As France made last-ditch efforts to unclog North Macedonia's stalled EU accession process, currently blocked by Bulgaria, ahead of this week's EU summit, North Macedonian experts expressed strong doubts about the French proposal.
Bulgarian President: The French Proposal for North Macedonia is the Best and Fairest so far
"The proposals of the French Presidency are the best so far, I'm not just talking about Bulgaria - they are the fairest. (...) Let it be clear: we really have progress for a change in the constitution of North Macedonia and the entry of Bulgarians into the document, which I have been insisting on for a long time. It is already accepted for this to happen".
Week in Review: Juggling Acts and Trojan Horses
On the Brink
Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov arrives for the European Council Summit in Brussels, Belgium, 24 March 2022.-EFE/JULIEN WARNAND
VMRO-DPMNE Leader: If Bulgaria's demands are part of EU’s Negotiating Framework, We'd better Not Go In
The leader of the Macedonian opposition party VMRO-DPMNE, Hristijan Mickoski, said that if Bulgaria's demands are included in the EU's negotiating framework for membership, Skopje would be better off refusing to apply to the Union.
Albania Police Seizes Cocaine at Port of Durres
Albanian police on Wednesday seized 45.5 kg of cocaine found in a container in the Port of Durres during a police operation codenamed "Transit".
The company's administrator and a customs agent contracted by the company were detained on charges of trafficking in narcotics.
Debates in Bulgaria’s Parliament Today: “The Mafia wants its State Back”
Today, the parliament is debating the requested resignation of its chairman Nikola Minchev. The request was initiated by "There Is Such a People" and supported by GERB, the "Movement for Rights and Freedoms" (DPS) and "Vazrazhdane".
Albanian PM: There will be No EU Membership Talks soon and Bulgaria is to Blame
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has said he does not expect next week's EU summit to pave the way for his country to start EU membership talks, blaming Bulgaria, Politico reported today.
Bulgarian PM: The Topic of North Macedonia is a Distraction. Don't get caught in it!
"The topic of North Macedonia was brought up today to distract attention. The news of the day is that the Interdepartmental Commission of the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works discovered illegal constructions worth BGN 2.5 billion, and this money had to be paid through the budget increase requested by the regional ministry."
Vučić: I ask what do we need to do now, to recognize Kosovo?
We noticed that, although many on our political and public scene did not want to notice it. But, "the full normalization of relations" is still in the official negotiation process, and there is no talk of mutual recognition", said the President of Serbia, after laying a wreath at the monument to the heroes from Kosare.
Macedonian PM doubts Sofia is ready to Resolve Disputes with Skopje
The Bulgarian veto on the start of negotiations for the membership of North Macedonia in the EU is expected to be the main topic of today's visit of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to Bulgaria.
He arrives in Sofia from Skopje, where he told North Macedonian Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski this morning that the country is ready to start EU membership talks.
“Genesis” weather front: Heavy rainfall floods areas across Greece
Some 27,000 lightning strikes were recorded up until 19:00 on Friday by the National Observatory of Athens' "Zeus" lightning detection system.
As the "Genesis" weather front began to spread across the country, rainfall reached hazard level 4, added the observatory.
Week in Review: The Search for Normality
New Beginning
Albania President - elect, Bajram Begaj. Photo credits: Edi Rama Facebook
After the often turbulent and anything-but-dull five year term of Ilir Meta as President of Albania, is the country about to get a 'normal' president? On Saturday June 4, Albania's Parliament elected Bajram Begaj as the country's new President, due to take office at the end of July.
Vučić announced: "We are signing today"
At the beginning, Macedonian Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski addressed the audience, greeting all participants gathered, as citizens of the Western Balkans.
Bulgarian PM: We have already Done Enough to Support Ukraine
"This discussion about whether we will give weapons to Ukraine or not, we already had it, we have a decision of the National Assembly, we will abide by the decision". This was stated by Prime Minister Kiril Petkov.
"The first machines for repair are coming, which we promised, we will do that", Petkov stressed.
Macron is ready to Organize a Sofia-Skopje Meeting in Paris
French President Emmanuel Macron has expressed readiness to bring together in Paris, "when the time comes", representatives of the authorities in Sofia and Skopje to conclude a bilateral agreement that would allow negotiations to begin on the accession of the Republic of North Macedonia (RNM) to the European Union, AFP reported, quoted by BTA.