Macedonian Parliament

North Macedonia must take a step forward towards the European Union, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told the Macedonian parliament ahead of a meeting where lawmakers are debating the so-called "French proposal" to start EU negotiations.

Von der Leyen concluded her address to the Macedonian MPs with a quote from the late President Boris Trajkovski:

Another evening of protests in Skopje against the French proposal to start negotiations for the Republic of North Macedonia for membership in the European Union. Tensions rose after about 30 hooded demonstrators began throwing bombs and hard objects at the parliament building and police officers. 47 police officers were injured and 11 protesters were detained.

The leader of the opposition VMRO-DPMNE in the RNM, Hristijan Mickoski, has asked Bulgaria to give written guarantees that it will not block his country on the road to the EU. He also demanded that the Bulgarians apologize to the RNM for "the massacre of 7,200 Jews in the Treblinka camp during World War II."

This was announced by the spokesperson of SDSM Bogdana Kuzevska and specified that the procedure for election of a new chairman of SDSM starts immediately. This will happen on December 12. Candidates for Zaev's post have 7 days to run. The leader of SDSM is elected by direct vote of all members of SDSM.

Moment of Truth

Zoran Zaev, until recently the Prime Minister of North Macedonia and leader of the ruling SDSM, faces his moment of truth on April 12th as Macedonian voters are set to go to the polls to pass judgement on his government. While having achieved a great deal in the foreign policy realm, his government has disappointed expectations on the domestic front.

Macedonian Parliament Speaker Talat Xhaferi will attend the vote in the Bulgarian National Assembly on his country's NATO Accession Protocol, reported the Bulgarian National Television. 

On 15 February, the Parliamentary Defense Committee approved the Protocol. Voting is expected to take place on Wednesday - 20 February.

This happened when the alliance's member states signed the accession protocol, he said.

A Memorandum on Cooperation between BSMEPA and the Macedonian Entrepreneurship Promotion Agency was discussed by the Executive Director of the Executive Agency for Promotion of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Dr. Boyko Takov and representatives of the economic institutions of the Republic of Macedonia. The bilateral meeting took place on the second day of Dr.

Beta agency reported this on Monday, citing an article published in Moscow-based daily Kommersant.

The newspaper, however, noted that there are now difficulties in the Greek parliament, which also needs to ratify the Prespa agreement. Namely, the Independent Greeks party opposes it and has left the ruling coalition.

It also affirmed the Macedonian identity with a two-thirds majority, Beta is reporting.

In the 120-seat parliament, 81 MPs voted for accepting the four amendments whereby Macedonia meets its obligations in a deal with Greece to resolve the name dispute. MPs from the opposition VMRO DPMNE did not attend the session.