Latest News from Macedonia
Russia urges EU to support gas pipeline crossing Turkey
Russia?s foreign minister has urged the European Union to support the idea of a Moscow-backed pipeline that would bring natural gas across the Black Sea to Turkey and the rest of Europe.
Sergei Lavrov said on Friday the pipeline ? which could include Greece, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia and Hungary ? would bring ?energy stability? to Europe.
Foreign Ministry enraged by ex-US Secretary of State's comments on FYROM
Officials at the Greek Foreign Ministry were enraged yesterday at reports in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) that ex-US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright had suggested Greece may have been involved in deadly incidents last weekend in the town of Kumanovo.
Eighteen people ? 10 Albanian militants and eight policemen ? died after gunmen raided in the town.
Serbian President Pledges Loyalty to Russia
At a meeting in Belgrade with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday, Nikolic said that Serbia's fate was bound to Russia and expressed hope for greater economic cooperation and even closer relations.
Smugglers Evade Higher Taxes in Albania
Albania's Ministry of Finance announced that it will stop cars and motorbikes transporting fuel across the borders - to stop Albanians from buying fuel in neighbouring Montenegro, Macedonia and Kosovo to benefit from lower prices there.
Kosovo, Macedonia Exchange Information on Kumanovo
Macedonia and Kosovo have established exchanges of information on verifying the identities of the victims and those who were arrested in Kumanovo last weekend during the Macedonian police action.
The Macedonian Interior Ministry has established that a number of those involved in the fighting were citizens of Kosovo.
Traffickers swindle migrants, sending them back to Greece
By Costas Kantouris
After a seven-month quest to escape war in Syria, Dia Kasam thought she and her two sons were finally on their way, headed by train into Serbia and from there on to Germany to reunite with her sick husband and their three other children.
Macedonia's Kumanovo Steps Up Security Again
Police are bolstering their presence in the streets of Kumanovo, northwestern Macedonia, just days after a deadly attack claimed the lives of 8 officers.
Interior Ministry officials told local news outlets and state agency MIA hat "security measures" were being taken in the town.
Minister Expects 5 % Rise in French Tourists to Bulgaria after Louvre Exhibition
Minister Nikolina Angelkova said on Friday that a 5 % increase in the number of French tourists to Bulgaria was expected in the summer after the exhibition of Thracian treasures in the Louvre.
Angelkova stated this during the regular parliamentary control and added that an increase was also expected in the number of tourists from Poland, Turkey, Greece, Serbia, Macedonia and Austria.
Ahmeti Tried to Negotiate End to Macedonian Carnage
Ahmeti, head of the junior party in the coalition government, said he found out about the police action as soon as it started, at 5am last Saturday - and that one of the gunmen who were by then surrounded by police called him, urging him to help negotiate a retreat from Kumanovo.
Key Partner in Macedonia Govt Calls for Protests
Ali Ahmeti, the main coalition partner to PM Nikola Gruevski's government in Macedonia, has openly called on citizens to attend peaceful protests.
"All of you, take to the streets to protest on Sunday," BGNES wire service quotes him as saying in an interview with Alsat-M TV channel.
Serbian Daily Claims Kumanovo Shooting Staged by Former Security Chief
The former Director of Macedonia's Administration for Security and Counterintelligence (UBK) Saso Mijalkov was actively involved in the staging of the terrorist attack in Kumanovo.
This is claimed by the Serbian daily Blic, based on information of the Serbian security services, BGNES news agency reports.
Bulgarian Government Stations Troops at Border with Macedonia
The Bulgarian government stationed troops at the border with Macedonia, who have readiness to deal with an eventual migratory wave in case the situation in the neighbouring country worsens.
Greek FM discusses FYROM unrest in talks with EU's Mogherini
Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias and the European Union?s top foreign policy official, Federica Mogherini, on Thursday discussed rising tensions in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, which have led to FYROM resurrecting demands for its accession to the EU and NATO despite an ongoing dispute with Greece over the Balkan state?s official name.
Macedonian Party Leaders to Continue Anti-Crisis Talks on Monday
The leaders of the four biggest political parties in Macedonia have agreed to continue their talks on Monday to make another attempt to ease political tensions in the country, MIA news agency reported.
USA protects Albanians because they are faithful to them
USA protects Albanians because they are faithful to them
Many Western officials in their statements about violence in Macedonia are persistently avoiding to condemn Albanian terrorism. Instead, they are talking in general about "criminal groups", or even about "inter ethnic conflict".