Macedonia

Macedonian Hague Convict ‘Could be Freed Soon’

The defence lawyer for Johan Tarculovski, the only Macedonian convicted of war crimes by the Hague Tribunal, said he could be given an early release as soon as next month.Tarculovski’s lawyer, Antonio Apostolski, said he had been informed by the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, ICTY, that the …

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Macedonia Boosts Checks As Milk Fears Spread

Macedonia’s food safety agency is boosting checks on dairy products in the light of fears of contamination by the cancer-causing toxin M1.Macedonia said it was conducting more tests as the scandal about milk contaminated with M1 in Croatia and Serbia was causing widespread concern. “Macedonian milk is healthy and does …

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New Defence Minister Outrages Macedonian Veterans

The appointment of a former ethnic Albanian fighter as Macedonia’s defence chief has angered the party representing war veterans.The opposition Dignity party, which represents police and army veterans who fought Albanian guerrillas in the 2001 conflict, has protested over the appointment of Talat Xhaferi as new defence minister. Xhaferi, a …

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Macedonia Journalists Wary of PM’s Olive Branch

Macedonian journalists say conditions are not ripe for resuming talks with the government following the forced removal of reporters from parliament in December, which left relations in tatters.Macedonia’s Journalists Association, ZNM, said police still had not located and punished those who ordered and carried out the forced removal of reporters …

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Macedonia Opposition Chief Still Hopes For Solution

The head of the opposition Social Democrats says there is still time to defuse Macedonia’s political crisis and avert an opposition boycott of the March local elections.If the Macedonian government shows some goodwill, there is still time to solve the crisis in the country, the head of the opposition Social …

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Macedonian Opposition Boycotts Local Polls

The Social Democrats refused to take part in next month’s vote after the government declined to postpone the polls for a month or to hold parallel early general elections.The country’s main opposition force acted on its boycott threat after the government turned down its demands, refusing to submit a list …

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Local Elections Prompt Reshuffle in Macedonia

Macedonia’s cabinet faces a reshuffle this week, as several ethnic Albanian ministers quit to run as mayoral candidates in the March local elections.Macedonia’s junior ruling party, the Democratic Union for Integration, DUI, has confirmed the reshuffle and revealed the names of the new ministers and deputy ministers from its ranks. …

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European Resolution on Macedonia Faces Delay

The European Parliament rapporteur on Macedonia, Richard Howitt, says he may have to seek postponement of the Parliament’s resolution on the country in the light of the ongoing crisis.Leaving the country, Howitt said that if the Macedonian political crisis continued, he would have no option but to ask the European …

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Macedonia Ruling Party Denies Pressure to Delay Poll

Macedonia’s ruling VMRO DPMNE party has rubbished reports that the EU seeks a postponement of the March local elections.Macedonia’s ruling VMRO DPMNE party on Thursday denied that the Director-General of Enlargement at the European Commission, Stefano Sannino, is pushing for local elections to be postponed. “Sanino never asked for a …

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