Macedonia

Voters in North Macedonia will elect a new president on Sunday in a run-off vote dominated by deep divisions over a change in the country's name agreed with Greece that has opened the path to NATO and European Union membership.

North Macedonia holds run-off presidential vote amid divisions over name change

What else to say (шта речи а не заплакати)...

Stevo Soros beats Goga Soros: Vmorons provide needed percentage
By Gorazd Velkovski - May 5, 2019

Who is sending data to the SEC when there are no SEC officials at polling places? Keep in mind the SEC is run by the DPNE.

Macedonian presidential elections – After 1pm Observers left polling stations (PHOTOS)
By Gorazd Velkovski - May 5, 2019
 
What else to say (шта речи а не заплакати)...

Stevo Soros beats Goga Soros: Vmorons provide needed percentage
By Gorazd Velkovski - May 5, 2019

North Macedonia's pro-Western candidate wins presidential vote
Presidential candidate of the ruling SDSM Stevo Pendarovski celebrates after preliminary results during the presidential election in Skopje, North Macedonia May 5, 2019. REUTERS/Ognen Teofilovski

North Macedonia's pro-Western candidate, Stevo Pendarovski, won a run-off presidential vote after a campaign dominated by divisions over a change to the country's name that was agreed to mollify Greece and open the way for EU and NATO membership.

Pope Francis starts a trip on Sunday to Bulgaria and North Macedonia where he will have to tread carefully because of sensitive relations with the dominant Eastern Orthodox Church In the two Balkan Countries where Catholics are a minority.

Pope defends migrants during trip to immigration-adverse Bulgaria
Pope Francis gestures as he leads the Holy Mass with First Communions at Most Holy Heart of Jesus church in Rakovski, Bulgaria May 6, 2019. REUTERS/Yara Nardi

Pope Francis said on Monday the plight of suffering immigrants and refugees was "the cross of humanity," taking up their case for the second consecutive day during a visit to Bulgaria that has put him (Pope) at odds with the government.
 
Pope Francis has approved pilgrimages to Medjugorje, a village in Bosnia that is steeped in controversy over whether the Madonna appears to local people, the Vatican said on Sunday.

Pope approves visits to contested Bosnian shrine
FILE PHOTO: A Catholic pilgrim prays at Podbrdo Hill, where the Virgin Mary reportedly appeared in an apparition in 1981, in Medjugorje, south of Sarajevo, October 8, 2010. REUTERS/ Matko Biljak/File Photo

A statement by spokesman Alessandro Gisotti, said, however, that the official approval should not be interpreted as Church authentication of the alleged apparitions, because more investigation and study was needed.

Six children first reported visions of the Virgin Mary in 1981 in a scenario reminiscent of famous apparitions in the French town of Lourdes in the 19th century and more then 100 years ago in Fatima in Portugal.

In the following years, the Bosnian village became a major pilgrimage site, attracting hundreds of thousands each year and giving many visitors what they say is a renewed sense of spirituality.


The pilgrimages, which include faithful from as far away from North America and Asia, took place although they were not officially authorized by the Vatican. They also gave locals a steady source of much-needed revenue.

Some of those involved, now adults, say they still experience apparitions regularly, and that the Madonna tells them ahead of time when she will appear to them.

But some Catholics believe the apparitions are a hoax.

Former Pope Benedict set up a commission of theologians and bishops to study the situation. Its report has not been published but was given to Pope Francis in 2014.

Speaking to reporters in 2017, Francis said investigations are continuing into the first alleged apparitions but he said at the time that he was highly skeptical about claims that they are continuing.

Francis did acknowledge that some people who go to Medjugorje experience a spiritual renewal and “encounter God, change their lives.”

The Vatican’s statement on Sunday said a papal delegate to Medjugorje, Polish Archbishop Henryk Hoser, would ensure that pilgrims who visit the site are aware that Church theologians are still investigating the authenticity of the claims.

Albanian protesters hurl petrol bombs, seek snap polls
A burning flambeau is pictured in front of a police formation during an anti-government protest in front of Prime Minister Edi Rama's office in Tirana, Albania, May 11, 2019. REUTERS/Stringer  NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES

Albanian opposition protesters hurled petrol bombs at the entrance of Prime Minister Edi Rama's office on Saturday, after three months of demonstrations calling for him to quit over alleged election fraud and corruption.
 
The European Union peacekeeping force (EUFOR) in Bosnia warned the Serbian representative on Bosnia's presidency on Tuesday against saying anything to weaken the country's multi-ethnic armed forces after he made comments widely seen as divisive.

EU peacekeepers warn Serb leader against dividing Bosnia's armed forces
FILE PHOTO: Newly elected member of Bosnia's tripartite inter-ethnic presidency, Serb member Milorad Dodik, attends a joint news conference during the presidential inauguration ceremony in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina November 20, 2018. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/File Photo

FILE PHOTO: Newly elected member of Bosnia's tripartite inter-ethnic presidency, Serb member Milorad Dodik, attends a joint news conference during the presidential inauguration ceremony in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina November 20, 2018. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/File Photo

The formation of Bosnia’s armed forces (AFBiH), assisted by NATO and EUFOR, has been hailed as the country’s biggest achievement since the breakup of Yugoslavia in the 1990s, uniting former wartime foes and promoting national stability.

Under the 1995 Dayton peace accords, Bosnia was split into two autonomous regions - the Serb-dominated Serb Republic and a federation shared by Muslim Bosniaks and Croats. Each region has its own government and parliament.

The AFBiH, formed in 2005, brings together Bosniaks, Bosnian Serb and Bosnian Croat former military components under a state law on defense agreed by all political parties and approved by the national parliament.

But nationalist Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik said at a ceremony on Sunday marking the Day of the Serb Republic army (VRS) that the Serb component of Bosnia’s military would wear its own uniform at next year’s ceremony, not that of the united army.

Dodik, who has often criticized Bosnia’s state-level multi-ethnic institutions even while serving as chairman of Bosnia’s tripartite presidency since last October, said the Third Infantry Regiment was part of the Serb Republic army and expected to “defend its achievements” if need be.

EUFOR CONCERN
His comments sparked an angry reaction from Bosniak leaders, who said the VRS had been mentioned in many verdicts by the Hague-based international war crimes tribunal for the former Yugoslavia as a force responsible for killing Bosniaks during the wars of the 1990s.

EUFOR, which in 2004 took over from NATO the task of keeping the peace in Bosnia, said: “Any statements which serve to undermine the AFBiH and their legal status as the single, united, military force of the state of Bosnia are counter-productive and should be avoided.
“EUFOR ... rejects any statements or activities that could divide this organization and jeopardize the success that AFBiH has achieved in terms of providing a single, state-level, and internationally respected military force, which represents all people of Bosnia and Herzegovina,” it said in a statement.

The U.S. Embassy in Sarajevo and the mission of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) also criticized Dodik’s statement, saying it was irresponsible and dangerous.

Bosniak leaders have accused Dodik of arming and beefing up the Serb region’s police, violating the balance of arms between the country’s two regions as agreed under the Dayton peace deal.

EUFOR, whose mandate is to support local authorities in maintaining a stable and secure environment and has around 800 troops deployed in Bosnia, has said it is prepared to intervene at short notice if violence resumes in Bosnia, two decades after the end of an ethnic conflict that killed 100,000 people.
 
North Macedonia is likely to win European Union support to start membership talks later this year, diplomats say, but its Balkan neighbor Albania faces opposition in France, Germany and the Netherlands.

Macedonia on track for EU accession talks but not Albania: diplomats
FILE PHOTO: North Macedonia Prime Minister Zoran Zaev shakes hands with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker at the EU Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, June 4, 2019. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir/File Photo

FILE PHOTO: North Macedonia Prime Minister Zoran Zaev shakes hands with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker at the EU Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, June 4, 2019. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir/File Photo

Despite EU rhetoric that the bloc needs to accept new members from the Western Balkans to cement their European path and offset Chinese and Russian influence, anti-immigration sentiment has raised doubts in some northern EU states.

Backed by a number of EU governments and the European Commission, Albania and North Macedonia had hoped that the bloc’s Europe ministers would give the go-ahead to membership talks at a meeting next Tuesday in Luxembourg.

That would have cleared the way for approval by EU leaders at a summit in Brussels on June 20-21.

But neither country will be given the green light then, diplomats and EU officials told Reuters, even though 13 EU countries including Italy and Poland, the European Council’s President Donald Tusk and the Commission have publicly called for formal negotiations to begin.

Now, the latest agreement is to reach a deal among EU governments in September, but only for North Macedonia, which is also set to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in 2020. (Stupid move! Joining the EU and NATO will not benefit them.)
 
North Macedonia is likely to win European Union support to start membership talks later this year, diplomats say, but its Balkan neighbor Albania faces opposition in France, Germany and the Netherlands.

Macedonia on track for EU accession talks but not Albania: diplomats

After the Merkel-Zaev meeting, there was no press conference, but just an 'assurance' behind the closed doors.

Zaev meets Merkel: No EU accession date, both skip press conference
By Marija Nikolovska - June 13, 2019

30487

In a video address, Zaev says Merkel assured him that the Bundestag will approve EU accession talks in September
14.06.2019


Mickoski wants to help Zaev to keep the “north” project going
By Marija Nikolovska - June 11, 2019
 
North Macedonia's pro-Western candidate wins presidential vote

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North Macedonia's pro-Western candidate, Stevo Pendarovski, won a run-off presidential vote after a campaign dominated by divisions over a change to the country's name that was agreed to mollify Greece and open the way for EU and NATO membership.

Rama asks Pendarovski to remember who had him elected President, after he calls for the “decoupling” of Macedonia from Albania
15.06.2019

Albanian Prime Minister’s convoy attacked by protesters (VIDEO)
14.06.2019

Zaev says that Europe is the sexiest girl in the world. :lol:

Published on Jun 15, 2019 (0:57)
 
Zaev says that Europe is the sexiest girl in the world. :lol:

Europe is degenerating into an uncivilized culture of the lower class! It's losing it's moral identity and traditional ethics, by being sucked into "a free-for-all ... anything goes" mind set.

Ukraine hosts biggest ever gay pride parade
Thousands march in Romanian capital's pride parade
A week before that - in Poland ... and now ... all in the hopes to join the European Union? What kind of civil rights is the EU promoting?

North Macedonia to host its first Gay Pride march, in test of rights record
People dance in a bar where LGBT community gathers in Skopje, North Macedonia June 25, 2019.Picture taken on June 25, 2019.REUTERS/Ognen Teofilovski

North Macedonia will host its first Gay Pride march on Saturday, in a test of the conservative Balkan country's record on respecting minority rights as it seeks to join the European Union.
 
... Or November or December... Or never. :lol:

04.07.2019

By Gorazd Velkovski - July 2, 2019
 
Zaev has become the latest target of the Russian pranksters. :lol:

9 Jul, 2019

09.07.2019
 
... Or November or December... Or never. :lol:

04.07.2019

By Gorazd Velkovski - July 2, 2019

:-)
16.07.2019

'The clock is ticking for the Zaev's government.'
By Pero Stamatovski - July 16, 2019

By Gorazd Velkovski - July 16, 2019

16.07.2019
 
Special Prosecutor Katica Janeva is on 'sick leave' as of July 16, confirms the Special Prosecutor's Office, but refused to specify what illness is Janeva sick from.

By Marija Nikolovska - July 18, 2019
 
'Katica Janeva 'is free to fly.'

19.07.2019

19.07.2019

19.07.2019
 
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