According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, around 1,500 Macedonian citizens are working in Iraq. The real number is far greater, yet no one can confirm it. People put their lives at risk for a monthly salary of at least $1,500 and free board and lodgings"Utrinski Vesnik" writes.

Workers travel to Iraq via Turkey, Kuwait and the UAE, not reporting at the Macedonian border what their final destination is.

"One of the main reasons why there are no records of the people working in the Middle East is that they do not report their departure from the country in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs knowing they will be recommended not to go," Foreign Ministry officials say.

Over 1,000 Macedonian citizens work in Iraq at the moment through the firms "Ecolog" and "Sar Promet".

The Macedonian Foreign Ministry did not withdraw the warning to the Macedonian citizens to not travel to Iraq for security reasons.

Three Macedonian citizens from Kumanovo were kidnapped in Iraq a year and a half ago. They were liquidated and their bodies have still not been found.

Faruk Ademi and Rasim Ramadani, who were kidnapped in Iraq last week and set free a few days later, intend to return to Iraq in two weeks.