No judge wants to try DUI officials


The trial of electoral irregularities in Cair “Titanic 3”, which is being tried by officials from the ruling DUI, after many delays, accusations between the SPO and the Court and threats from lawyers to prosecutors, is back to the top. The trial judge Olja Ristova has submitted and the court accepted her request for exemption […]

Ahmeti risks an electoral “defeat” so Xhaferi can take over the presidential post


“When I assumed the responsibility of being Parliament Speaker, I assumed responsibility for the fulfillment of all the obligations and powers provided for that office,” said Talat Xhaferi, the parliamentary speaker, on Thursday. president of the state, in case presidential elections fail. At a briefing with the media, Xhaferi explained that if the census of […]

Ahmeti said, then changed his mind


When in 2014 DUI leader Ali Ahmeti uncompromisingly announced that he would withdraw from politics when Macedonia became part of NATO, he probably did not even believe that this would happen in five years. In times when the last pieces of the Skopje 2014 project were put into place, and thus chances for an agreement […]

Parliamentary elections are also on the table


The holding of early parliamentary elections along with presidential elections is one of the options that the majority in Macedonia is envisaging following the numerous calls made by the opposition led by VMRO-DPMNE. “I have often said that this government should complete its term in office. People are tired of early elections and the country […]

The untouchable DUI


The new criminal charges for high-ranking DUI officials will hardly shake the boat of Ali Ahmeti’s party. Anchored in the style of governance that they have been practicing for ten years since they have been in power, and in the power they have gained through the control of the Albanian voting body, they laugh at […]

Seventy majority MPs to take part in referendum campaign


Around seventy MPs are likely to take part in the public campaign leading up to the referendum on Sept. 30. The campaign, Parliament said, would be run through paid advertising, TV debates, as well as editorials in the press and in online media. So far, only MPs from SDSM and their coalition partners have confirmed […]

Leaders’ meeting resumes Monday morning


A fresh round of talks including only the leaders of the four main parliamentary parties – Zoran Zaev of SDSM, Ali Ahmeti of DUI, Hristijan Mickoski of VMRO-DPMNE and Bilal Kasami of Besa will resume Monday morning at 9:00 am, Government told MIA. Prime Minister and SDSM leader Zoran Zaev has invited leaders of VMRO-DPMNE, […]

Ali Ahmeti’s party says signing the name issue agreement is a matter of days


Speaking to a Skopje TV network on Monday evening, the Albanian DUI party MP Artan Grubi said that reaching an agreement on the name dispute between Macedonia and Greece is a matter of days. Grubi is considered the closest colleague of the party’s head, Ali Ahmeti. Grubi noted that the two governments have agreed to all elements […]

Eleven Education Ministers in 18 years


Eleven ministers have governed the education and science department in the past eighteen years. Five ministers spent about a year in office since 2000, and as many ministers were in office for nearly two years as head of the education department. The frequent changes of  ministers in one of the most important departments, where policies, […]

One dead and two wounded in an incident in Tetovo


A person has remained dead and two others have remained wounded last night in an armed incident in Tetovo. Macedonia’s ministry of Interior said that the incident in question involved two rival gangs from Kumanovo. The ministry of Interior said that it has arrested four people, one of them from Albania. The incident happened 300 […]

Zaev holds talks for the enlargement of the governing coalition


Prime Minister Zoran Zaev is holding talks with several political parties for the enlargement of the governing coalition. Zaev is holding talks with BESA Party, which is an opposition party, split into two factions. The governing coalition will also include a small Turkish party, the Democratic Turkish Party, which has one seat, but also independent […]

Conditions and strategies to unblock the work of Parliament


VMRO-DPMNE will back all the laws which have to do with the reforms, if SDSM led by PM Zoran Zaev withdraws from the voting of the law on languages, which makes the Albanian language the second official language in Macedonia. This was said by the leader of the largest opposition party, Hristijan Mickoski. “If he’s […]

Disagreements between coalition partners for the law on languages


Governing coalition parties SDSM and DUI seem to be going through disagreements regarding the voting of the law on languages, which advances the use of the Albanian language. The law has gone back to Parliament for a second reading, following the failure to obtain a signature by president Gjorge Ivanov. But, the law has been […]

First official meeting between VMRO-DPMNE and DUI leaders


The current political and economic situation in Macedonia, the reforms, the name dispute and the relations between the government and the opposition were some of the topics at today’s first official meeting of the leader of DUI Ali Ahmeti with the new president of VMRO-DPMNE, Hristijan Mickoski. Mickoski yesterday said he expected the meeting to […]

DUI leader Ahmeti meets Dutch ambassador Plomp


 Democratic Union for Integration (DUI) leader Ali Ahmeti met Tuesday with Dutch Ambassador to Macedonia, Wouter Plomp. Ahmeti and Plomp referred to political developments, the name issue, the law on languages and the country’s Euro-Atlantic integration, DUI said in a press release. DUI supports a swift solution to the long-standing name dispute through direct dialogue. […]

SDSM seeks 33% reduction of travel expenses, DUI champions full revocation


The Parliament’s Committee on Labor and Social Policy on Tuesday unanimously passed amendments to the Law on Salaries and Fringe Benefits of Elected and Appointed Officials in Macedonia. The changes foresee a reduction to kilometre allowances by 33% for MPs and office holders. Speaking at the committee’s session, DUI MP Xhevad Ademi said that ‘as a provocation’ he […]