Nikola Gruevski

United Nations special mediator Matthew Nimetz on Monday restarted talks between Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) over the latter's name, following a protracted stalemate.

The prosecution said on Friday that it is probing allegations made by Serbian opposition leader Vuk Jeremic, who last week alleged that people close to former Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski have been intensively buying Serbian firms as part of a money-laundering scheme.

In an interview for Kurir news website, published on Friday, Nikola Gruevski said he plans to tender his resignation as leader of VMRO DPMNE soon, regardless of the outcome of ongoing party analysis about its defeat in the October local elections and earlier general election.

The parliament of Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) voted in principle the bill to expand the use of the Albanian language.

In favour of the bill voted 66 MPs (coming from the ruling Social Democratic Union/SDSM of Zoran Zaev and Ali Ahmeti’s DUI) while 41 MPs voted against (coming from VMRO-DPMNE’s main opposition party, Nikola Gruevski).

The renaming of Skopje’s airport from “Alexander the Great” to “Kiro Gligorov” (former Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia -FYROM- president) proposed diplomats in the country, an idea that seems to be accepted by Prime Minister Zoran Zaev despite the strong objections expressed by Nikola Gruevski’s main opposition party VMRO-DPMNE.

Thessaloniki Mayor Yiannis Boutaris will travel to Skopje on Thursday to meet with his counterpart, Petre Silegov, and discuss closer ties between the two cities.

According to media reports, FYROM (Macedonia) will recall its honorary consul in Spain, and shut down the Barcelona-based consulate.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will submit this proposal to the government on Tuesday, reports said.

VMRO DPMNE spokesperson Ivo Kotevski on Monday said the opposition party, which suffered a crushing defeat in just finished local elections, will not give up the few mayoral seats it won.

Macedonia's main opposition leader cried foul over local election results after gains for the ruling party in a second round of polls on Sunday, and demanded a snap parliamentary vote, reported Reuters.