Latest News from Macedonia

Real Negotiations Have Not Started Yet, Macedonia's Zaev Says

We are currently in the process of negotiating. The talks, however, have not started yet in the words of opposition leader of the Macedonian social democrats Zoran Zaev.

He made the statement upon arriving in Skopje after the ten-hour negotiations with Macedonian PM Nikola Gruevski in Strassburg.

Byzantine Thessaloniki highlighted, explored

The fourth issue of MUSA, the quarterly cultural review produced by the press and communication office of the Greek embassy in WashingtonD.C., highlights Byzantine Thessaloniki in its current edition.

Considered the “second capital” of Byzantium after imperial Constantinople, Thessaloniki today retains numerous monuments of the 1,000-year Eastern Christian empire.

Russia Claims Macedonia Crisis Managed from Abroad

Russia on Wednesday blamed the political crisis in Macedonia on 'outside' forces trying to exert influence on Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski over his refusal to back Western sanctions against Moscow.

Skopje provocations in ruling party rally

Flags bearing the 16-beam Vergina Sun and maps of the so-called “Great Macedonia” were held by governing party VMRO-DPMNE supports in Skopje, during an anti-rally held and attended by PM Nikola Gruevski. The Skopje hands of the attending crowd pointed to the Skopjan “dream”. Three fingers for Vardaris, the Aegean Sea, and Pirin, and the “O” from the word “Obedineta” which means United.

Families of Kumanovo Gunmen Rally in Kosovo

Several hundred people gathered in Pristina on Wednesday to protest against the way the Kosovo government has reacted to the crisis in Macedonia after the shootings in Kumanovo.

The protesters included family members of the Kosovars who were killed or arrested in the police raid on Kumanovo two weeks ago.

Macedonia's Gruevski, Zaev Fail to Reach Agreement in Brussels Talks

Macedonian PM Nikola Gruevski and opposition leader Zoran Zaev made on Tuesday and Wednesday another attempt at solving the political crisis into which the country plunged earlier this year.

This time, talks were held in Strasbourg, with the EU's regional policy commissioner Johannes Hahn and MEPs Richard Howitt, Ivo Vaigl and Eduard Kukan acting as brokers.

No End to Macedonia Crisis After Strasbourg Talks

Hours-long talks in Strasbourg between Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski and opposition Socal Democrat leader Zoran Zaev ended at 3.30am Wednesday without resolution to Macedonia's political crisis.

The three MEPs that facilitated the dialogue said they heard frank discussions from both leaders and extracted a commitment to meet again, however.

Skopje: A modern-day … ancient Agora or lil’ Caesar’s Palace?

 

One interesting travelogue recently focused on the land-locked country to Greece’s immediate north, the one-time Yugoslav republic known today – in some quarters and especially in Greece – as the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (fYRoM).

The neophyte’s country’s leadership has, since 1991, insisted on the “Republic of Macedonia”.

Five Balkan Countries Competing in Eurovision

Performers from Macedonia, Serbia, Albania and Romania will be taking part in the first semi-final of the Eurovision 2015 song contest on Tuesday in Vienna, while the Montenegrin representative will go onstage at the second semi-final on Thursday.

Greek coast guard rescues 38 migrants off western coast

The Greek coast guard rescued 38 migrants Tuesday found on a small boat off the country's western coast in the Ionian Sea, following a search and rescue operation launched after one of the passengers called authorities for help.

NATO Holds Door Open for Montenegro

NATO's Parliamentary Assembly at its spring session in Budapest on Monday approved a declaration recommending member states to "demonstrate commitment" to the open door policy and decide on Montenegro's membership invitation by the end of 2015.

Tens of thousands rally for Macedonia PM as opposition digs in

Tens of thousands of supporters of embattled Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski took to the streets of the capital in a show of strength on May 18, a day after a huge opposition protest called on him to resign.

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