Albanians in the Republic of Macedonia

The prime minister of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Zoran Zaev, appears confident of mustering the support of the 80 MPs needed to ratify the name deal with Greece, telling his country's 24 TV channel on Thursday that he "genuinely believes it will be possible to get support from 85 or 90 lawmakers, if not more."

A vote by lawmakers in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) on the final amendments to revise the constitution in accordance with the Prespes accord signed with Greece is expected to be held on January 15, House speaker Talat Xhaferi said Monday.

He said that the parliamentary committees tasked with reviewing the final amendments will convene as of December 17.

Hundreds of citizens of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia staged a protest late on Sunday in the capital of Skopje objecting the potential amendment of the country's constitution to reflect a deal with Greece to change FYROM's name.

There was nothing unexpected about the referendum. It was clear that the government in Skopje would struggle to reach the 50 percent threshold to make the plebiscite. Also certain was that the yes vote would be in a strong lead.

Police in Tetovo, western Macedonia, on Friday confirmed that Naim Rexhepi, born 1971, died in a shootout that started around 6.20pm on Thursday in Mala Recica, the location of the governing DUI party's headquarters.

One other person with gunshot wounds was brought to the hospital in nearby Tetovo, the hospital said.

Turkey's ambassador to Skopje on March 28 condemned an attack on the Turkish flag in the northwestern Macedonia city of Kalkandelen.

The speaker of Macedonian parliament, Talat Xhaferi, has told BIRN's TV show Jeta ne Kosove'that if President Gjorge Ivanov again refuses to sign the new language law, after parliament voted for it for a second time, he will breach his constitutional rights.

The Albanian language is now official throughout Macedonia, the parliament in Skopje decided. The law was passed with 69 votes in favor of VMRO-DPMNE's deputies.

Macedonia is marking the 16th anniversary of the ambush and killing of ten soldiers on the Skopje-Tetovo highway near the end of the 2001 armed conflict with ethnic Albanian rebels.

President Rumen Radev praised the friendship and cooperation treaty signed by Bulgaria and Macedonia yesterday.

''A new European page has been opened today in the bilateral relations between Bulgaria and Macedonia'', President said.