North Macedonia - Articoli

Name dispute enters critical phase

03/01/2008 -  Risto Karajkov Skopje

As time to the NATO summit in Bucharest closes in the 16-years long dispute between the Republic of Macedonia and Greece over the name "Macedonia" is entering a critical phase. Both sides increase speed, but without compromise, the crash seems inevitable


Macedonia: Six Killed in Police Raid in around Tetovo

13/11/2007 -  Risto Karajkov Skopje

Six men were killed and 13 were arrested in action of the special forces of Macedonian police in the village of Brodec, Tetovo region, on the morning of 7 November. The operation, code name "Mountain Storm", which took place in the early morning hours, was completely unexpected


The Loss of an Icon

07/11/2007 -  Risto Karajkov Skopje

Toshe Proeski, Macedonia's greatest pop star died in a tragic car accident, near Nova Gradiska in Croatia, on 16 October 2007. Macedonia lost not merely a star, but a humanist and a unifier, someone who could unify people Macedonians with Albanians, and former Yugoslavs, too.


The End of a Bad Privatization

05/10/2007 -  Risto Karajkov Skopje

Macedonia has to pay USD 53 million to Hellenic Petroleum, the Greek company which owns the only oil refinery in the country, "Okta", near Kumanovo, said a Court of Arbitration in Paris last month. And this is likely the tip of an iceberg, say experts


Macedonia, the 'battlefield' of democracy

01/10/2007 -  Risto Karajkov Skopje

A woman MP was threatened by death, a journalist was battered by police, and parliament had its first fist fight. That is the outcome of the last few days of democracy in Macedonia.


Politicians on trial: the Buckovski case

10/09/2007 -  Risto Karajkov Skopje

Mr. Buckovski is the first ever former prime minister to appear before a judge and answer to charges, since the Macedonian parliament voted to strip his immunity after a heated debate between mayority and opposition parties


Church, mosque, Nato, Macedonian Parliament

14/08/2007 -  Risto Karajkov Skopje

After months of procrastination, prime minister Nikola Gruevski adopted the draft bill on religious communities. The government came under pressure to strike a tricky balance: to meet the requirements of international integration and maintain correct relations with major religions in the country.


Little, big victory

24/07/2007 -  Risto Karajkov Skopje

After seven years of legal odyssey, 16 Macedonian journalists won a civil case against the state last month, claiming damages for being subject to systematic wiretapping. The day of the verdict, although greeted in moderate spirit, is still something to rejoice


On the swings of political dialogue - II

18/06/2007 -  Risto Karajkov

The polical situation in Macedonia remains highly instable, after boycotts of parliament, government crisis and the risk of early elections. And this time, heavy international pressure doesn't seem to play a positive role on the stabilization of the country


On the swings of political dialogue - I

14/06/2007 -  Risto Karajkov

The polical situation in Macedonia remains highly instable, after boycotts of parliament, government crisis and the risk of early elections. And this time, heavy international pressure doesn't seem to play a positive role on the stabilization of the country


Kiro Gligorov turns ninety

22/05/2007 -  Risto Karajkov Skopje

The history of the indipendent Macedonia is strongly linked to its first president, Kiro Gligorov, who led it during the difficult years of the Yugoslav crisis. Gligorov, still active and respected in his country, marked last week his ninetieth birthday in a Skopje restaurant


Balkans Mystery Tours: The Mine of Alshar

02/05/2007 -  Risto Karajkov Skopje

Alshar, an ancient mine located in the southern Balkans, in Macedonia, is said to contain minerals to be found nowhere else on the planet. The rarest of them all - the lorandite, is thought to have the potential to let us understand the work of the sun. Science-fiction or reality?


Boskovski before The Hague

23/04/2007 -  Risto Karajkov Skopje

Monday, 16 April 2007 the trial against Macedonia's former Interior Minister from the time of the ethnic conflict in 2001, Ljube Boskovski, started at The Hague Criminal Tribunal. Together with him accused is also Johan Tarculovski, a police commander of the special police forces


Macedonia: The New Business Heaven in Europe?

17/04/2007 -  Risto Karajkov Skopje

Identifying the very low level of foreign direct investment as one of the serious causes of the slow growth of the local economy, the Macedonian government launched an aggressive campaign aimed at attracting foreign businesses to "Discover the New Business Heaven in Europe": Macedonia


Another Brick in the Wall?

29/01/2007 -  Risto Karajkov Skopje

The latest enlargement was greeted with not much fuss in Macedonia. Life goes on and very few politicians responded with statements or analyses. Bulgaria, being closer, receives more attention. Romania is already far away


Piacenza, Macedonia

06/11/2006 -  Risto Karajkov Skopje

Monospitovo is a village in the region of Strumica in the eastern part of the country. Known for its green house gardening. Over the last several years 50-60 families per year have been migrating, most of them to Italy


EU and Macedonia: Do People Make Changes?

11/10/2006 -  Risto Karajkov

''Do not change people to make changes'' said recently the EU to Macedonia. Along with support and encouragement for the new government of Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, the political leadership of the country has started to receive its first warnings and disapprovals from Europe


Macedonia: New Government

31/08/2006 -  Risto Karajkov

"Greater economic growth, investment, de-politicization and professionalism of the public administration, reduction of bureaucracy, and uncompromised fight against corruption", are the promises of the new Macedonian government to its citizens.


Macedonian National Television Faces Collapse

23/08/2006 -  Risto Karajkov

After a prolonged period of crisis, employees of the Macedonian Radio and Television (MRT), the public media service in the country, went on strike


Macedonia: Difficult Times Ahead of the Social Democrats

11/08/2006 -  Risto Karajkov

After the defeat in the national elections on 5 July, the leading opposition party in the Macedonian camp, the social democrats - SDSM, undergoes strife and divisions.


The cold summer between Sofia and Skopje

01/08/2006 -  Francesco Martino Sofia

In 1999 Macedonia and Bulgaria signed a bilateral agreement, wherein they committed not to interfere with each other's internal affairs. Since then their relations have been quite friendly, in spite of the old quarrels about history and language, which have never been solved and keep re-emerging


Macedonia: An Environmental Hot Spot Revives Public Concern

30/06/2006 -  Risto Karajkov Skopje

Veles, formerly known as Titov Veles, population circa 50.000 is a city in central Macedonia, some 50 km south of the capital Skopje. In addition, it is one of the most polluted places in the Balkans


Macedonia: The Importance of an Election Year

19/06/2006 -  Risto Karajkov Skopje

As election frenzy rises with the approaching of the general elections in Macedonia, one thing is clear - a lot depends on them. On 5 July voters will go to the polls to elect the new parliament. Things have to go smoothly this time


Macedonia's Border with Kosovo

11/05/2006 -  Risto Karajkov Skopje

A last round of public disquiet over the border issue between Macedonia and Kosovo seems appeased with yesterday's visit to Skopje of Kosovo Prime Minister Mr. Agim Ceku. The border issue is of technical nature, they agreed, and it cannot disrupt neighborly relations


Grand Trial for Traffickers

08/05/2006 -  Risto Karajkov Skopje

The biggest ever criminal proceedings in Macedonia started in April bringing to trial 28 people accused of human trafficking. They are accused to have been part of a well organized transnational network that has been smuggling migrants from Macedonia into Greece


The Death of Macedonian Village

19/04/2006 -  Risto Karajkov Skopje

Silence, desolation, houses in decay, lifelessness. This is a common sight from the Macedonian countryside. As odd as it may seem in a country as small in territory as Macedonia, its rural parts are dying out.It has started more than 50 years ago. But its consequences are more and more visible with time


Carnivals in Macedonia: Between Paganism and Modernity

31/03/2006 -  Risto Karajkov Skopje

Many towns and villages in Macedonia maintain carnival festivities, but two of them are particularly important - Vevcani and Strumica. It is said that the Vevcani carnival is as much as 1.400 years old, the one in Strumica is more recent but much bigger, and festivities last for 5 days


Yugo - Nostalgics of All Meridians - Unite!

21/03/2006 -  Risto Karajkov Skopje

"At the Marshal's", a new place on the map of center-town Skopje, is a house of remembrance and nostalgia, and a unique memorial place which pays respect to Tito, all of this combined with the smell of traditional Balkan cuisine. A restaurant. Dedicated to the Marshal and his country


Macedonian Hostages in Iraq Freed

22/02/2006 -  Risto Karajkov Skopje

Two Macedonian citizens, who were kidnapped last week near Basra and held hostage, were released yesterday after ransom was paid.Faruk Ademi and Rasim Ramadani were kidnapped near Basra, where they worked for Ecolog, a multinational contractor of the British army


Macedonian Telecom: Can't Let Go

19/12/2005 -  Risto Karajkov Skopje

A citizen from Skopje climbed a telephone post last month and cut the wire. A final individual act of bitter resentment against the monopolistic behavior of Macedonian Telecom. This is but the most radical of citizens' outcries against the arrogant conduct of the Telecom over the past 4 years in Macedonia