Macedonia
Current Operations
OSCE Mission to Skopje
(OSCE Long-Term Missions)
Since: 09/92
More Information
Ohrid: ten years later (19.07.2011)
(Source:Southeast European Times)
Citizens and commentators note progress but opinions are still divided about the role of the Framework Agreement.
Concern over media developments in Macedonia (13.07.2011)
(Source:B92)
The latest media related developments in the Republic of Macedonia/Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia have caused concern, SEEMO said in a statement. The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organization (SEEMO), an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), said this in particular concerned the closure of critically-oriented media outlets.
OSCE issues positive assessment of Macedonian polls (06.06.2011)
(Source:Balkan Insight)
Macedonia’s early general elections were competitive, transparent and well administered throughout the country, the OSCE/ODIHR monitoring mission to Skopje said at a press conference on Monday.
Ralf Breth appointed new head of OSCE in Macedonia (26.05.2011)
(Source:Southeast European Times)
German diplomat Ralf Breth is the new head of the OSCE Mission to Skopje, local media reported on Wednesday (May 25th).
Dane takes over as EU Macedonia envoy (28.02.2011)
(Source:Balkan Insight)
Peter Sorensen starts work this week as new head of the EU Delegation to Macedonia, replacing the outgoing Erwan Fouere.
Observers warn of renewed ethnic crisis in Macedonia (15.02.2011)
(Source:Balkan Insight)
Sunday’s clashes at the Skopje fortress over the construction of a church shaped museum could engulf the country in a renewed ethnic crisis, some observers warn.
NATO mission in Macedonia: from military to civilian (12.01.2011)
(Source:Southeast European Times)
Its security tasks in Macedonia done, the Alliance will now focus on assisting the defence reform process.
Macedonia, Kosovo sign border agreement (28.04.2010)
(Source:Balkan Insight)
Macedonian Minister of Local Government Musa Xhaferi and Kosovo Minister of Local Administration Sadri Ferati on Monday signed an agreement on border cooperation.
Macedonia fears Greece may block EU bid (31.08.2009)
(Source:the Star / Malaysia)
Greece has toughened its stance in the dispute over Macedonia's name, making it more likely to block its neighbour's European Union membership bid, Macedonia's Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki told Reuters on Monday.
Skopje reportedly favours “Northern Republic of Macedonia” (21.08.2009)
(Source:Balkan Insight / BiH)
Macedonia remains committed to the Athens-Skopje name talks, the country's negotiator, Zoran Jolevski, said after his Thursday meeting with UN mediator Matthew Nimetz. … Macedonian media speculate that Jolevski expressed his country's broad acceptance of Nimetz’s proposals, while cautioning that the appellation Northern Republic of Macedonia would better serve Macedonian national interests than Republic of Northern Macedonia.
DPA walks out of Macedonian parliament (18.08.2009)
(Source:Southeast European Times / International)
The opposition Democratic Party of Albanians (DPA) walked out of parliament Monday (August 17th) as promised, joined by the smaller ethnic Albanian New Democracy party. DPA member Imer Aliu said it is because the government failed to implement legislation derived from the Ohrid Framework Agreement, and is neglecting the rights of Albanians.
Government says Ohrid Accord is alive (12.08.2009)
(Source:Balkan Insight / BiH)
Opposition claims that the 2001 Ohrid Peace Accord is a dead letter are unfounded, Macedonia's Deputy Prime Minister Abdilakim Ademi says. … Talking to state-owned news agency MIA, Ademi, who is responsible for the realisation of the accord’s provisions, said that there is no need for a new agreement and that most of the agreements provisions are functioning.
Macedonia to respond to Nimetz's proposals next month (14.07.2009)
(Source:Southeast European Times / International)
Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov said Skopje will reply to UN mediator Matthew Nimetz's latest proposals on the name dispute with Greece by the end of August. After a meeting in Croatia with his counterpart Stipe Mesic on Monday (July 13th), Ivanov welcomed Athens' willingness to resolve the row according to international law.
UN envoy holds talks with former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia on name issue (07.07.2009)
(Source:UN News / International)
The United Nations envoy tasked with mediating talks between Greece and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in the dispute over the latter’s name is in the region for discussions with representatives of both countries.
Athens-Skopje negotiations resume (23.06.2009)
(Source:B92 / Serbia)
Athens and Skopje have resumed negotiations in Geneva over the issue of Macedonia’s name, with UN mediator Mathew Nimetz announcing visits to both countries. Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis has called on Skopje to resume negotiations with a new approach, different to what has been seen thus far.
Fresh Macedonia “name” talks confirmed (15.06.2009)
(Source:Balkan Insight / BiH)
Meetings aimed at solving the “name” row between Greece and Macedonia will resume in Geneva later this month, according to the UN.
Macedonia "pressed for name settlement" (21.05.2009)
(Source:Balkan Insight / International)
Macedonia feels diplomatic pressure growing to resolve its name coming "from all external factors", the country’s Prime minister Nikola Gruevski told press on Wednesday. No deadlines have been set, he pointed out, but the messages are to find a compromise to its long-standing row with Greece “as soon as possible” Gruevski added. .. Gruevski said that Macedonia’s stance will be clearer once the UN mediator in the dispute Matthew Nimetz offers something new for consideration.
OSCE: Macedonia passes poll test (06.04.2009)
(Source:Balkan Insight / BiH)
Macedonia's second round of voting for the joint presidential and local elections passed its democratic test, western monitors from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe announced. The election met most international standards and the voting passed off peacefully, the head of the OSCE election monitoring arm, ODIHR, Peter Eicher, told local media on Monday.
Ivanov elected new macedonian president (06.04.2009)
(Source:Balkan Insight / BiH)
George Ivanov, the conservative candidate of the ruling right-of-centre VMRO-DPMNE party, won Sunday’s presidential elections, according to State Election Commission data. This election “opens the European perspective for Macedonia,” Ivanov said. He stressed that his priorities would be EU and NATO membership and solving the long-standing name dispute with Greece.
Macedonia 'has too many voters' (25.03.2009)
(Source:Balkan Insight / BiH)
Macedonia’s voter register has to be revised, political experts argue after international monitors suggested that there seems to be a striking discrepancy between the number of voters and the overall population.
Macedonia passes election test, observers say (24.03.2009)
(Source:Southeast European Times / International)
The OSCE Mission in Macedonia, the Office for Democratic and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR), the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE/PA) and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) declared at a press conference Monday (March 23rd) that the first round of the presidential and municipal elections in Macedonia "met most international standards".
Conservative leads Macedonia poll (23.03.2009)
(Source:BBC / UK)
The candidate for Macedonia's ruling conservative party has taken the lead in presidential elections praised for their lack of violence. But partial results showed Gjorgje Ivanov, of the governing VMRO-DPMNE party, had not win enough votes to avoid a 5 April run-off.
Macedonia said to respect rights, but problems remain (17.03.2009)
(Source:Southeast European Times / International)
Macedonia's progress in building a civil society and guaranteeing minority rights has not gone unnoticed by international organisations, whose reports in recent years have taken on a noticeably warmer tone. Most continue to warn, though, that substantial work remains to be done. The US State Department's Human Rights Report for 2008, published last month by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labour, is the latest example.
Macedonia campaign correct so far, OSCE (16.03.2009)
(Source:Balkan Insight / BiH)
The political rhetoric at the presidential and local poll campaign in Macedonia has so far been correct with only minor incidents occurring, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, OSCE, said Sunday.
Macedonia election campaign kicks off (02.03.2009)
(Source:Balkan Insight / BiH)
The campaign for Macedonia's March 22 presidential and local polls kicked off on Sunday, under the eye of the Wes which views the election as a test of the country's democratic credentials.
Seven candidates to run for president (17.02.2009)
(Source:Southeastern European Times/International)
The deadline for candidates to file with election officials expired on Monday (February 16th), and authorities say seven candidates plan to run for president on March 22nd. Among them is former Interior Minister Ljube Boskovski, whom The Hague tribunal acquitted last June of committing war crimes during the 2001 revolt by ethnic Albanians.
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia name talks resume at UN (11.02.2009)
(Source:UN News / International)
Representatives of Greece and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia held talks today on the name of the latter country in what a United Nations envoy called a “good, solid discussion.”
March elections key for Macedonia (14.01.2009)
(Source:Southeast European Times / International)
When temperatures begin to rise this spring, political battles in Macedonia will also be heating up. The country will go to the polls on March 22nd to elect a new president, as well as mayors and municipal councils. The government announced the local and presidential election date on Saturday (January 10th).
Gruevski vows tight security for Macedonia poll (13.01.2009)
(Source:Balkan Insight / BiH)
Macedonia will put into effect a tight security plan during the local and presidential elections in March to avert possible irregularities and violence, said Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski. … Last year's general election was marred by violence and irregularities in ethnic Albanian areas, earning the country a partly negative report by Western monitors and a cautionary note by the European Union, which Macedonia aspires to join.
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia name talks set for next month (12.01.2009)
(Source:UN News / International)
Talks between the representatives of Greece and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia on the name of the latter country will take place in New York on 11 February, the United Nations official spearheading the discussions announced today.