Bulgarian Government approves Macedonia’s NATO accession protocol


The Government of Bulgaria at its regular session on Wednesday approved the signing of Macedonia’s NATO accession protocol. By this decision, the Government in Sofia authorized the representative of the Permanent Delegation of Bulgaria to NATO to sign the accession protocol. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced earlier this week that signing of Macedonia’s NATO […]

Transparency International: Macedonia ranks 93/180 in the corruption index


In its latest report on corruption, Transparency International says that Macedonia has made more efforts in the fight against corruption ranking the country on the 93rd place as opposed to 107th a year ago. The organization says that expectations in the fight against corruption are high, while the country is expecting to launch accession talks with the EU. […]

Government expecting to receive news from Brussels


After the ratification of the Prespa agreement by the Greek parliament, authorities in Skopje are waiting for the meeting of the ambassadors of NATO member countries, where the protocol accession is expected to be signed. Macedonia’s Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov said that this protocol is expected to be signed this week or at the start […]

Kocijancic: The country has a clear path toward the EU


EU spokeswoman Kocijancic on Monday underlined ‘the country’s clear path toward the EU’ when asked to comment on the threat of a possible veto by Greece. Spokeswoman Maja Kocijancic was asked in relation to a statement by the main opposition leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis saying Greece would retain the control of Macedonia’s accession process and should […]

Stoltenberg: NATO will prepare accession protocol for Macedonia soon


NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that the protocol to accept Macedonia as a member state to the Alliance will be prepared soon. The document will be sent to all NATO member states for ratification, but primarily to Greece, which undertook an obligation to ratify it as soon as it is received. -We will sign […]

The opening of EU negotiations with Macedonia is a priority for the Romanian presidency


Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Meleșcanu believes that the EU should prove its commitment to Macedonia and Albania by starting accession talks with the two countries. Meleșcanu presented the priorities of the Romanian EU presidency for the next six months before the members of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament. Foreign policy, enlargement to […]

Montenegrin Speaker Bjarovic: Human and minority rights to be continually promoted


Montenegro has excellent experience with the use of languages. Human and minority rights can never be terminated, but they need to be continually promoted because we all live in a common country. Montenegro’s Parliament Speaker Ivan Brajovic told reporters Wednesday at the joint press conference with his Macedonian counterpart Talat Xhaferi when asked about his […]

Nimetz: Failure to ratify Prespa Agreement would have profound consequences


UN mediator Matthew Nimetz  for the name dispute talks between Greece and Macedonia, said that failure to ratify the Prespa Agreement would have profound consequences for both sides, Kathimerini reports. “If the Prespa Agreement does not come into effect, the consequences of the failure will be profound and both sides might well reconsider many elements […]

NATO intelligence chief visits Skopje for talks on defense reforms


The head of NATO’s intelligence and security division, Ambassador Arndt Freytag von Loringhoven, started three days of talks in Skopje on Monday focused on reforming the country’s defence and security institutions. While in Skopje, Mr von Loringhoven will hold meetings with half a dozen senior government officials, including Prime Minister Zoran Zaev and President Gjorge […]

Health ministries of Skopje and Sofia sign cooperation plan


Bulgaria’s Health Minister Kiril Ananiev and his counterpart from Macedonia, Venko Filipce, signed a co-operation plan on January 22, setting out areas where the two ministries will work together over three years, the Health Ministry in Sofia said. The cooperation plan arises from a Cabinet decision in December 2018, which also sets out the objectives, […]

Financial Times: Macedonian solution is a positive step for Europe


A deal to settle a 27-year-old dispute between Greece and Macedonia that comes to the Greek parliament for ratification this week provides a rare achievement to celebrate in the Western Balkans, says The Financial Times in an article published Tuesday. Macedonia has been stuck in an economic and geopolitical no man’s land since it was […]

Greek opposition parties demand Macedonia’s Constitution to be submitted for consideration


Greece’s Committee for National Defense and Foreign Affairs members’ debate on the Prespa Agreement in Greek Parliament resumed Tuesday with right-wing politicians asking that the Macedonian Constitution be submitted for consideration in full. New Democracy’s foreign policy official Giorgos Koumoutsakos asked to see the Macedonian Constitution in its entirety as well as the letter by […]

Who will run for the presidential race?


Debates are taking place in the Republic of Macedonia about the potential candidates that the largest political parties in the country will run for the presidential race which is expected to take place on April 21. Political parties have not yet announced any candidates, saying that they’re still  looking into it. SDSM decides with the […]

Interview with Maja Moracanin: it’s not the right time for early general elections


Maja Moracanin is a lawmaker in the Macedonian Parliament, and last year she became the head of DOM, the only green party in our country. Right before the upcoming presidential elections, Moracanin, in an interview with Nezavisen Vesnik/Independent newspaper, says that the new president should be a person who will unite all citizens, and that […]

Prespa Agreement reshaping Greek political landscape


An upcoming vote in Greek parliament on Athens’ deal with Skopje to change the name of the Republic of Macedonia  to North Macedonia (known as the Prespa Agreement) could potentially reshape Greece’s political map ahead of a general election later this year. Following the breakup of the SYRIZA – Independent Greeks coalition, the controversial issue […]

The Prespa Agreement is the focus of all Greek media outlets


The Prespa Agreement and its ratification in the Greek parliament is the focus of all Sunday editions of Greek newspapers. Real News publishes an interview with Vice Prime Minister Bujar Osmani titled “Greece is the Main Guarantor for our Euro-Atlantic Ambitions”. Avgi, considered a left-oriented newspaper, features an interview with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who says […]

The negotiations date with the EU will depend on politics, not just on reforms


Implementation of the Prespa Agreement depends on whether we will get a date for the start of negotiations for EU membership in June, warns Bojan Maricic, head of the Macedonian technical negotiating team with the EU. He points out that our country is trying to fulfill the conditions that our partners from Brussels have set […]

Will Russia put a footnote on Macedonia’s name?


After the nervous reaction of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs about accepting the constitutional changes in Macedonia, President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov personally came up with new assessments. In a final attempt to influence the vote in Greece and to give a loud voice to their demand for the name agreement […]