Latest News from Macedonia
Gruevski Fights Shy of New Macedonia Talks
Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski on Tuesday said that conditions were not ripe for a fresh round of crisis talks in Macedonia.
The opposition responded that he was not in a position to command the dynamic of the internationally brokered talks.
Macedonia PM Starts Unofficial Re-election Campaign
Macedonia's government is insisting that it is "business as usual" for Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski in spite of an ongoing deep political crisis in the country.
In the past week, when not participating in crisis talks with the opposition, Gruevski has made the most of opportunities to attend a series of high-profile promotional events.
Kosovo-Born Kickboxing Champion Dies Fighting for ISIS
Swiss TV on Monday reported the death of the 29-year-old athlete of Kosovo Albanian origin - who moved to Germany aged six - saying it was announced on Facebook in a post uploaded by his brother.
Gashi died last Saturday under circumstances that remain unclear, the Swiss public broadcaster, said.
Balkan Countries Bake in July Heat Wave
A heatwave entered Balkan countries from the west early this week and the next few days are expected to be the hottest so far this year.
In Romania, the authorities issued a warning that the country was entering a so-called "yellow" phase of heat alert, meaning temperatures above 30 degrees celsius and high levels of ultra-violet radiation.
Macedonia MPs Monitor Secret Police Amid Opposition Absence
With nearly all opposition MPs still boycotting parliament, the commission overseeing the secret police - which was intended to be dominated by opposition legislators - got underway, chaired by an MP from the ruling VMRO DPMNE party, Pavle Sazdov, and adopted its rules of procedure.
Migrants Trapped in Balkan 'No-man's Land', Amnesty
Refugees seeking to enter Western Europe are routinely subjected to unlawful push-backs and ill-treatment by police on the Macedonian border with Greece and on the Serbian border with Macedonia, a new report by Amnesty International says.
Amnesty accuses Balkans of abusing EU-bound migrants
Amnesty International on July 7 accused Balkan countries of mistreating migrants passing through their territories on the way to the European Union, saying people fleeing war were being "shamefully let down".
Balkan States Weigh Impact of Greece's 'No'
As political leaders surveyed the potential fallout from the Greek referendum, Belgian foreign minister Didier Reynders warned on Monday that if Athens leaves the Eurozone, it could destabilise economies in the Balkans.
Bulgaria Interested in Turkish Stream, Russian Official Says
Bulgaria is "also interested" in the realization of the Turkish Stream gas pipeline project, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Vasily A. Nebenzya has said.
In an interview with Russian news agency Interfax published on the website of the Foreign Ministry in Moscow [RU], he has explained that "many countries in Southern Europe" are interested in the project.
EU to Fund Albania-Macedonia Electricity Link
The EU has pledged financial support for the construction of a new 400 kV electricity interconnection line between Albania and Macedonia, Albania’s Ministry of Energy announced on Friday.
Bulgaria, Macedonia to Discuss Launching Joint Tourism Packages
Bulgaria and Macedonia are due to consider the creation of a joint tourist product which could be offered to tourists from the Middle East, North Africa, and Asia, the head of the country's tourism promotion agency has said.
In his words, Bulgarian tour operators have already shown interest in the move which could bring about benefits to the entire region.
Fresh Talks on Macedonia Crisis Put on Hold
After optimistic reports of a way out of the political crisis in Macedonia, fresh crisis talks planned for Friday have been cancelled.
Region's Police Target Illegal Migrant Traffickers
Police directors of Serbia, Hungary, Austria and Germany, meeting on Thursday in Belgrade, agreed to conduct more joint actions to stop illegal migrants and target the cross-border migrant smugglers.
Besides joint patrols on the borders of Serbia with Hungary and Serbia with Macedonia, modern thermal imaging cameras will be used.
Macedonia Halts Controversial Ad Campaigns
Macedonia's embattled government is putting on hold its controversial advertising campaign, which critics call a tool to control and reward favoured media.
Among the campaigns put on hold are "Say No to Drugs," "Smoking Kills," "Eat Healthily," "Educate Yourself", "Have a Third Child," "Read Books," "Invest in Macedonia, and "Explore Macedonia, You are Macedonia."
Albania Arrests Terror Suspect Wanted in Italy
Albanian police on Wednesday arrested Baki Coku, saying he was the subject of an international warrant issued by Interpol Roma and was suspected of belonging to an organization "whose goal was to carry terrorist acts.
"His arrest was carried out with the aim of extradition [to Italy] and was part of an international anti-terror operation," the Albanian police added.