In September 2021, in the midst of the Covid-19 emergency, a fire at the Tetovo hospital in North Macedonia led to the death of 10 patients. Now, the trial has come to a controversial conclusion
The current Macedonian government wants to speed up the construction of road infrastructure: to do so, it is changing several laws and awarding the contract without a tender. Procedures which, according to the opposition, mainly damage the treasury in favor of private interests
In recent decades North Macedonia has been affected by a very strong emigration trend and today more and more companies struggle to find staff. Among the solutions proposed, there is that of encouraging the arrival of workers from non-European countries
In North Macedonia, the composition of the government has changed again. Social Democrat Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski's goal is to bring home the constitutional reforms necessary to revive the race for the EU by the next elections in 2024
Lake Prespa, divided between North Macedonia, Albania, and Greece, is the natural habitat of thousands of species, some of which are unique. Due to the gradual loss of water, it risks losing its biodiversity. Despite the growing efforts to save it, the situation appears extremely complicated
Civil society organizations in North Macedonia have been fighting against the opening of new copper and gold mines for years. Citizens have collected documentation and evidence that mining will seriously damage the environment
The global energy crisis has exposed all the difficulties of North Macedonia, with its limited and obsolete production system. Renewing it and bringing it up to date is one of the main challenges for the future of the country
Tetovo, North Macedonia, is one of the most multi-ethnic and multicultural cities in the Balkans. Here many inhabitants can speak all the many languages of the city: a skill appreciated for the ability to open doors, friendships, and possibilities
Swimming for dozens of kilometres without using his legs, a sixteen-year-old Macedonian boy is teaching not to give up in the face of difficulties and inspiring the entire country
After accepting the compromise proposed by France, North Macedonia has opened EU accession negotiations. To make progress, however, it will be necessary to change the constitution and overcome the opposition of neighbouring Bulgaria
As Skopie's European prospects remain blocked, many Macedonians continue to seek better living conditions abroad, and the country loses its best forces
The adjustment of the minimum wage in the private sector – wanted by the Skopje government and subsidised by the state – has led to strikes and protests in the public sector. The discontent is driven by high inflation. Some experts claim the risk of negative repercussions on the state budget
After twenty years of waiting, North Macedonia has finally managed to complete the population census. The controversies that had slowed down the process, however, have not subsided even after the presentation of the results
The governments of Skopje and Prishtina are pushing for a new road connection between the cities of Tetovo and Prizren through the new Šar Planina park. Economic necessity or danger for the ecological balance of the area?
The political world of North Macedonia has come together against the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In the belly of the country, however, there is no shortage of voices of support for Putin's "strong leadership", fuelled by resentment over the closed doors of the EU
Concern is growing in the Western Balkans about the evolution of the war in Ukraine. Geopolitical and economic issues make the region one of the areas particularly sensitive to possible serious repercussions linked to the ongoing conflict
The local elections of last October changed the political landscape in North Macedonia, and in January Social Democrat Dimitar Kovacevski became the new Prime Minister. The declared goal of the new government is to overcome Bulgaria's veto and start EU accession negotiations
In recent years, thousands of refugees and migrants have crossed North Macedonia towards the heart of the EU. Many received help from Lence Zdravkin, who transformed her home in Veles into an oasis of solidarity and comfort
The authorities of North Macedonia have declared an "energy crisis" due to low production, increasingly expensive imports, and slowness in replacing old coal plants with new ones with renewable energy
North Macedonia's runoff elections of October 31 were seen as a test for the ruling social democrats after the centre-right opposition won more municipalities in the first round of voting two weeks ago. Faced with the negative outcome, SDSM President and Prime Minister Zoran Zaev has resigned from both positions
On October 17, North Macedonia will go to the polls for the local elections. Many independent lists could upset the plans of the main parties and bring a breath of fresh air to the new municipal councils
With the pandemic and online lessons, it turned out that many families in North Macedonia do not own and cannot afford a computer, but someone had already noticed and started to do something about it
Born as a political expression of the armed struggle of the Albanians in North Macedonia, DUI today surprisingly tries to reposition itself as a green movement. A turning point that, however, puzzles many
North Macedonia is now fully part of Europe only in football. The country is condemned to a long wait which highlights all the contradictions of the EU enlargement strategy to the Western Balkans. A comment
Despite some success stories, recycling remains at extremely low levels in North Macedonia. According to experts and observers, the country needs to quickly develop a waste management strategy
North Macedonia is set to protect some of its main mountain ranges, such as Shar, Osogovo and Vodno, which are now increasingly threatened by exploitation of soil, water, and forests
The current electoral system, which divides North Macedonia into six constituencies, clearly favours the main parties to the detriment of the smaller ones, that are now asking to move to a single constituency
The vaccination campaign in North Macedonia is struggling to start due to lack of doses. The first deliveries, coming from Russia or thanks to the support of neighbouring Serbia, have now been joined by the first delivery secured through the COVAX mechanism
In Tetovo, in North Macedonia, the main communities – Macedonian and Albanian – remain divided on many fronts. Driton and Vladimir, however, decided to overcome differences through a common passion for bees and honey
Doubts, controversies, delays. Vaccination campaigns against Covid-19 in the Western Balkans have only started in Serbia and Albania, while the other countries in the area risk dangerous delays, despite some support initiatives promoted by the European Union
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