Macedonia

The European Commission will present its report on Macedonia on April 16. It depends on the report whether the country will get a starting date for accession negotiations with the European Union. The report will be announced a day after the second round of local elections in the country. The …

The deal that ended Macedonia’s political crisis foresees possible early elections – but only if the parties agree on it by autumn, the European Parliament Rapporteur on Macedonia.Richard Howitt told Balkan Insight that early general elections are up to parliament – after government and opposition came out with contradictory readings …

Macedonia will soon file an extradition request to neighbouring Kosovo for two recently-arrested ethnic Albanians wanted for trial over high-profile killings near Skopje.The justice ministry said it expected to file a request to Kosovo in two or three days for the extradition of the two ethnic Albanians wanted for involvement …

Former officials suggested that heightened political tensions ahead of this month’s local elections helped to spark violent, ethnically-charged protests in Skopje.Some former leading Macedonian government figures blamed current political leaders for fanning ethnic intolerance which spilled over into street clashes with riot police on Friday and Saturday, but said they …

The campaign for the March 24 vote began on Monday after a last-minute political deal ensured that the Macedonian opposition reversed its boycott pledge.The agreement on Friday ended the opposition’s parliamentary boycott as well as ensuring its participation in the municipal race later this month, after a political crisis that …

Politicians expressed revulsion after two days of violent, ethnically-charged protests gripped the capital, sparked by the controversial appointment of an ex-guerrilla as defence minister.Skopje was calm again on Monday after the unrest on Friday and Saturday that saw riot police use tear gas and armoured vehicles during clashes with protesters …

International representatives are stepping up pressure for a last-minute compromise to end Macedonia’s political crisis and re-start the stalled EU accession process.In a final attempt to end Macedonia’s politicial crisis, the European Parliament rapporteur on Macedonia, Richard Howitt, is due to arrive in Skopje on Thursday. He already visited the …

A man has died in the floods that have swept eastern and central Macedonia, cutting off villages and damaging farms and infrastructure.A 51-year-old man from the northeastern town of Kumanovo drowned on Tuesday, trying to cross a river that had overspilled, the authorities reported. Torrential rain for three days has …

A party representing war veterans has launched a campaign for a public vote to dismiss former ethnic Albanian fighter Talat Xhaferi from his new job as Macedonia’s defence chief.The small opposition party Dignity announced on Tuesday that it will start gathering the 150,000 signatures needed to support the referendum initiative …

The Social Democrat-led opposition has snubbed the government’s latest compromise proposal for overcoming the political crisis, calling it ‘hypocrisy’.Social Democrats on Monday said that the proposal for a one-week postponement of local elections slated for March 24 – giving them more time to submit lists of candidates – was hypocritical. …