Macedonia

SKOPJE - The Macedonian government decided at its Friday session to send 75 special unit members of its Ministry of Interior and Defence Ministry and the Protection and Rescue Directorate as assistance to flood-hit Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH).

A 35-year-old Bulgarian citizen caused a serious car crash in which the Director of Macedonia's Intelligence Agency, Nake Chulev, was injured.

The incident happened near the Bulgarian border in the region of Kriva Palanka, according to reports of Sega daily.

Chulev's driver suffered the most serious injuries, including leg fractures.

SKOPJE - Macedonian President Djorge Ivanov said in a telephone conversation with Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic that Macedonia is willing to offer assistance and put all its capacities at Serbia's disposal in the fight against the consequences of the bad weather conditions in the country.

The joint celebrations dedicated to the saints widely regarded as the fathers of Slavic literary culture took place on Sunday in Sofia, coming at a time when the two countries' political ties remain strained.

The academies of science of Bulgaria and Macedonia held the first joint celebration of the feast of Saints Cyril and Methodius, two of the fathers of the Slavic literary culture.

A 62-year-old customs officer, his wife and two children were arrested on Friday in Kilkis, northern Greece, for smuggling alcohol.

The arrests came after authorities caught the man’s 33-year-old son carrying contraband drinks in his mother’s car.

BELGRADE - The event dubbed “Days of the Macedonian Culture in Belgrade” will open on May 10 with an exhibition of Macedonian carvings entitled “From Tradition to Art”.

The exhibition will be opened by Macedonian Ambassador to Serbia Vera Jovanovska at the House of Djura Jaksic in Skadarlija.

BELGRADE - Serbia will take part in the 11th International Book Fair in Thessaloniki May 8-11, the National Library of Serbia has announced.

The fair will bring together around 400 exhibitors, and Israel is the guest of honor. Serbia was the guest of honor at the Thessaloniki fair in 2012.

Council of Europe resolution to foster minority rights, languages in Albania

A law on nationalities would help clarify Albania's policy, and other steps also are needed to address remaining discriminatory practices against minorities.

A new Council of Europe resolution requires Albania to provide education to minorities in their native languages. [AFP]

United Nations mediator Matthew Nimetz is to visit Athens and Skopje at the beginning of July after meeting representatives of Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) in New York on Tuesday.