German Media: Identity issues once again block Macedonia’s EU path
The German media "Süddeutsche Zeitung" wrote that Macedonia will be able to start negotiations with the European Union only if Macedonia recognizes that its language is a dialect of Bulgarian, and its national heroes are ethnic Bulgarians. The country, which not so long ago changed its name to increase its chances of EU membership, now faces another major hurdle. The beginning of Macedonia’s accession negotiations with the EU will be blocked, said its neighboring Bulgaria, if the Government in Skopje does not change parts of its hist…
Zaev: Greece can rely on Macedonia
Macedonia’s visiting Prime Minister Zoran Zaev assured Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou on Wednesday that Greece can rely on Macedonia, grekk newspaper Ekathimerini reports. As Ekathimerini writes: "The visit to Athens, the first for the Macedonia primeminister, was to symbolize the end of a “cold war” between the two Balkan neighbors over their decades-long name dispute." Zaev, who combined his visit with his attendance of the Economist Conference, is reportedly in line with the European stance toward Ankara regarding the r…
Greece extends entry ban for Macedonians until September 30
Greece until September 30 has extended the ban for entry of internationals outside the European Union, including Macedonia, Albania and Turkey, MIA reports from Athens. Limitations at land borders due to ‘preventative reasons to protect public health from the spread of COVID-19 in Greece’, involve the period from Sept. 16 to Sept. 30 and includes Greece’s road and railroad connections with Macedonia, Albania and Turkey. Tourists and foreign nationals who are allowed to travel there can enter Greece by crossing the Promachonas border with Bulga…
EU: Building border fence between Macedonia and Serbia was not part of agreement
Serbia is constructing a barbed-wire fence at its southern border with Macedonia. Authorities in Belgrade have not yet commented on the issue, but the EU did. Serbia has started erecting a barbed-wire fence at its southern border with Macedonia, with the goal of blocking illegal migrants from entering the country without a visa, according to reports from news agency AFP, local media outlets in Belgrade and Radio Free Europe, as well as Macedonian media reported. Now the EU commented the issue: The European Union has rejected the claims that th…
Finland bans flights from Skopje
Finland has banned flights from Macedonia after several Skopje – Turku flights in a row brought dozens of coronavirus infected patients. The line was popular with Kosovar emigrants to Finland who came to the Balkans on summer vacation. After the initial “corona flight”, Finland re-introduced two weeks of quarantine for arrivals from high risk countries. Four flight in total brought over 60 patients to Finland. Five positive tests were reported on another flight from the same destination last Tuesday, and another 12 cases were detected on the…
Macedonia opened Borders for Passangers
As of Friday, Macedonia has fully reopened its borders, enabling free movement of Macedonian and foreign nationals without the obligation to provide a valid PCR coronavirus test, and without having to be quarantined. The decision was reached by the Government on Tuesday, based on recommendations of the Commission for Infectious Diseases. In addition, the Government decided to fully reopen as of July 1 the Skopje International Airport and the Ohrid Airport. Measures and recommendations on wearing personal protective equipment, i.e. fac…
Macedonia commemorates president Boris Trajkovski
Today in 2004 Macedonia lost his president Boris Trajkovski in an airplane crash Boris Trajkovski, as well as six members of the Macedonian delegation and two crew members who left for an international conference in Mostar (Bosnia and Herzegovina), died on February 26, 2004, after the state-owned aircraft crashed in a mountain region of Bosnia. The wreck burned out partially.
Macedonia Only Country of the Region to Decline in New World Tourism Competitiveness Report
Macedonia’s tourism has become more uncompetitive during the last two years, according to the new Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2019 released by the World Economic Forum. Compared to the last report in 2017, the country’s ranking declines by 12 positions (from 89th to 101st) out of 140 countries reviewed in the report. The numbers in the new report are disastrous: Macedonia was the only country in the subregion to decline in T&T competitiveness (89th to 101st). The nation’s business environment (40th to 84th), hu…
Connect with us