Latest News from Macedonia
Two Collections Meet | Thessaloniki | To September 30
The Museum of Byzantine Culture in Thessaloniki presents an exhibition comprising icons, vestments and precious heirlooms on loan from the northern port city's Municipal Art Gallery. The items are shown alongside texts which present and explain the most recent findings on Byzantine painting in northern Greece, and especially Thessaloniki, Mount Athos and Central and Western Macedonia.
Merry Christmas, Christ is born
B92 congratulates the holiday - Christ is born!
Christmas, along with Easter, is one of the two greatest Christian holidays. It is the day when the Christian world celebrates the birth of Christ and when, according to the belief, the spirit of Jesus is omnipresent among people, bringing them peace and forgiveness.
The day after
Holding people accountable for failing to live up to their responsibilities when the state mechanism fails - as was the case last week with the closure of a section of the Athens-Lamia highway - sends the right message.
However, the system will not be improved by momentary political reactions, even if these do serve as an outlet for justified public anger.
North Macedonia elects caretaker government after Zaev resigns
North Macedonia's parliament on Friday approved a new caretaker government under the country's former interior minister, after Zoran Zaev resigned as prime minister ahead of previously agreed early elections on April 12.
Under a deal made by major political parties, the caretaker government will be headed by Oliver Spasovski, who served in Zaev's center-left administration.
Zaev steps down ahead of April 12 vote
The prime minister of North Macedonia submitted his resignation Friday, paving the way for a new caretaker Cabinet to be named in order to organize a snap election.
Zaev resigns: North Macedonia forms Technical Government
"The government has been working since 8.30 a.m., I have signed my resignation, in accordance with the agreement (for the elections) and the Law on Government. I believe that it will reach the Parliament very soon, which can then start the procedure for electing a transitional government", Zaev said.
EU to explore further enlargement in 2020
Croatia, the youngest EU member, vowed to advocate for the bloc's Balkan enlargement, and pledged to work for "a strong Europe in a world of challenges" in the upcoming six months, after taking over the European Council's rotating presidency on Jan. 1.
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.
The Price of Russian Natural Gas for Bulgarian Consumers will Go Down about 5 %
The price of Russian natural gas for Bulgarian consumers will go down about 5 % due to a change in the entry point for natural gas deliveries from Russia, said Energy Minister Temenuzhka Petkova.
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.
Week in Review: The Infinite Balkan Jigsaw
Teflon
The last few months have seen the ruling SNS in Serbia buffeted by several corruption scandals and other affairs. Perhaps the most benign of these has been that the Finance Minister, Sinisa Mali, has been found to have plagiarised his doctoral thesis, yet remained in his post. Intellectual theft does not, it seem, make one unfit to guard the country's finances.
Turkish supermarket Migros gets European bank infusion
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has invested 30.8 million Turkish lira ($5.2 million) in lira-denominated bonds of a top Turkish supermarket chains, Migros.
"The new Turkish lira-denominated bond will be listed on Borsa Istanbul and its proceeds will reduce the company's foreign currency exposure," the bank announced on Dec. 23.
"Rama betrayed Kosovo"
According to the Pristina newspaper, the main argument is that they believe that the initiative would isolate Kosovo and, if implemented, create conflicts in the Balkans.
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.