Macedonia

Ljubco Georgievski and Branko Crvenkovski, whose bitter political rivalry dominated the 1990s, agreed on Thursday to cooperate in unseating the VMRO-DPMNE-led government of Nikola Gruevski.Two former prime ministers, from opposing ends of the political spectrum, after a meeting on Thursday in Skopje said they were ready to put aside old …

A new nameless equestrian statue in Skopje has angered some on account of its striking resemblance to Todor Aleksandrov, a controversial figure in Macedonian history.The five-metre statue financed by the Ministry of Culture and erected in the Skopje municipality of Kisela Voda is officially entitled “Macedonian equestrian revolutionary”. But to …

Macedonia is stirring negative propaganda against Greece, Greek Foreign Ministry spokesman Gregory Delavekouras said, in response to ‘genocide’ remarks by Macedonia’s leader.Athens has responded critically following a recent interview with Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski in which he accused Greece of having waged “political genocide” against Macedonia for 20 years.

Athens is failing to focus on meaningful regional issues, Foreign Minister says, referring to decision of Greek border staff to cover up the letters “MK” on any Macedonian cars entering Greece.Foreign Minister Nikola Popovski was the first senior Macedonian official to react, after Greek border guards last week begun covering …

Macedonia’s parliament passed a new Lustration law on Wednesday evening which aims to purge former police informants from public offices.The law submitted by the main ruling centre-right VMRO DPMNE party was also endorsed by their junior partners, the Democratic Union for Integration, DUI. The opposition Social Democrats voted against it.

Authorities advise people to take precautions as the country expects a scorching blast of heat in coming days – up to 39 degrees Celsius.It may still be officially only spring, but Macedonia is already roasting under a heatwave with daily temperatures for several days in a row exceeding 37 degrees. …

Ten Macedonian elementary and high schools have joined a project run by the United States Agency for International Development, USAID, which aims to unite children of different ethnic backgrounds.

Head of Macedonia’s main ethnic Albanian party, the Democratic Union for Integration, DUI, says a solution to the “name” dispute between Macedonia and Greece may be nearer in 2013, when both countries have elections out of the way.

Macedonia’s economy faces a prolonged period of danger from the crisis affecting the eurozone but macroeconomic stability and the stability of the currency, the Denar, are not shaken, the Central Bank says.

Context Following the collapse of communism throughout Eastern Europe and the subsequent breakup of Yugoslavia, the countries in the Balkan area have experienced changes in their demographics, usually in the form of an abrupt decrease in birth rates and population.