According to VMRO-DPMNE President Hristijan Mickoski, every activity to get the COVID-19 vaccine, even if it is through help from neighbouring countries, should be praised. However, as he said on Wednesday, Health Minister Venko Filipce should explain what exactly has been agreed, that is, how much vaccines Macedonia can expect and when so that a comprehensive plan can be drawn ...

The new primary concept has been presented. At the current stage of adoption of a new primary education concept, Education and Science Minister Mila Carovska plans to include only pedagogues and psychologists. She said on Wednesday they were the most relevant ones when it comes to creating modern education in the country. Carovska’s stand is that the Macedonian Academy of ...

On Wednesday, President and Commander-in-Chief Stevo Pendarovski was briefed by the Chief of the Army’s General Staff, Lieutenant General Vasko Gjurcinovski, on the situation and combat readiness of the Army. Army generals, representatives of both the Defence Ministry and Pendarovski’s Cabinet were part of the first combat readiness briefing since Macedonia’s NATO integration, as was and Defence Minister Radmila Sekerinska. ...

In an interview with 24 TV, Interior Minister Oliver Spasovski says ex-PM Nikola Gruevski will return to the North Macedonia and do his time in prison. Commenting on the work of the Ministry and criticism over the 2018 escape of the former PM, Spasovski explains that he is sure that it will happen. In September, the Justice Ministry said that ...

Macedonia’s Foreign Minister, Bujar Osmani, said on Tuesday that the Bulgarian veto would not affect the negotiations process between Skopje and Sofia, as well as efforts to find a solution. As he added when it comes to the non-paper, Sofia’s answer is that it is still considering it. Potential new meetings are possible after New Year’s, as is a new ...

Bulgarian PM Boyko Borissov hopes that a joint solution to resume Skopje’s integration path will be found next year. As he said on Tuesday, nothing scary has happened. “How we’ll get there is a matter of political will from both sides,” the Bulgarian PM said.  The previous day, ex-Bulgarian Foreign Minister Solomon Passy had said at an event that he ...

PM Zoran Zaev has responded to the latest stands from Bulgaria that the Bulgarian identity and language is harmed. As he said at a press-conference on Monday, the position presented by the western neighbour’s Defence Minister and Deputy PM, Krasimir Karakachanov, that there was no Macedonian identity before 1944, is offensive. Though Zaev’s message is that a solution with the ...

The judiciary, fighting corruption, COVID-19, and the environment are part of the Government’s ambitious plan for 2021 for European reforms domestically despite the Bulgarian blockade. The top priority will be cleaning up the judiciary. The start of the year is expected to see the start also of EU monitoring of high-profile court cases, around 50 a year, in which persons ...

On Monday, during his visit to Austria, Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani held a meeting with his counterpart, Alexander Schallenberg, whom he thanked for Vienna’s continued and unreserved support for Macedonia’s European perspective, including also a start of membership negotiations without any delay. “We’re aware – the process is complex,” Osmani said, adding that reaching consensus was not simple. Not only ...

On Monday, Turkish Parliament Speaker Mustafa Sentop held a meeting in Skopje with his counterpart, Talat Xhaferi. According to the latter, the Macedonia-Turkey relations are at the highest level and have an upwards trend, especially at a political, economic, and cultural level. As Xhaferi added, the good and friendly relations are reflected in the productive parliamentary cooperation as well. Xhaferi ...