Macedonia’s pre-accession economic program for 2010-2012 that Deputy PM Zoran Stavreski presented before the EU Finance Ministers in Brussels on Tuesday has been assessed as positive. The Finance Ministers of the EU member states assessed that Macedonia has successfully handled the world economic crisis and achieved good results with the GDP and the current account of the balance of payments.

Prime Ministers of Macedonia and Greece, Nikola Gruevski and George Papandreou, had an informal meeting at the sidelines of the Summit EU-Latin America in Madrid, Tuesday. Both prime ministers discussed about the name issue, the situation in both countries - the economic crisis in Greece and the problems which Macedonia is facing and whether they could present an obstacle when solving the bilateral dispute. As the PM Gruevski’s cabinet informs, the meeting was spontaneous and cordial and both prime ministers expressed hope and will the name issue to be solved as soon as possible. Both sides expressed dedication to the negotiations and openness for further direct meetings and closing the issue with UN’s help. The region’s perspectives and the need for the region’s EU integration were also discussed.

“We are doing all we can in every regard and will continue the reforms,” PM Nikola Gruevski rep-lied to a reporter’s question as to what he thought of EU Ambassador Fouere’s statement that Macedonia regressed on its way to the EU and it was uncertain where the country was heading for. Asked what he thought of Ahmeti’s and Crvenkovski’s statements that the name is-sue was threatening the country in the long run, Gruevski said, “we are working in the short run to solve the name issue, do all we can and put maximum effort, but of course we are protecting Macedonia’s state and national interests.”

Macedonia is expected to receive some 450 million euros from EBRD for a package of projects in the areas of road infrastructure, railway and energy. This was said at the meetings that Deputy Prime Minister Zoran Stavreski had in Zagreb with representatives of EBRD.

Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski had a meeting late Thursday in Zagreb with US Assistant Secretary of State Philip Gordon. According to PM’s Cabinet, Gruevski and Gordon discussed the European integration of Macedonia and the region and both of them condemned each extremist incident. Prime Minister Gruevski expressed focus for consistent implementation of the Ohrid Agreement as well as dedication in reaching a solution to the name issue.

 

Just as you are Greek and Carl Bildt is Swedish, I am Macedonian and that is my basic human right and this Council is the home of human rights, Macedonian Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki replied to Greek Alternate Foreign Minister Dimitris Droustas Tuesday.
 
Droutsas had previously demanded at the meeting of the Council of Europe, chaired by Macedonia as of Tuesday (11 May), that “FYROM” be used instead of “Macedonian” in the title “Macedonian Chairmanship 2010”, Makfax reports.

- European MP Johannes Svoboda said in his interview for the Macedonian Television it was time for Macedonia to begin accession talks with the EU. He believes that in the course of the talks there will be plenty of time to solve the name issue with Greece and explained that the EU was in a final stage of talks with Croatia and it was therefore necessary to open talks with the next country, Macedonia. Svoboda believes Greece should appreciate the solidarity of the EU in view of its financial crisis and in return should give Macedonia a chance to start talks. “The European solidarity should not be a one-way street. Following the decision of the EU countries to help, Greece should also help the integration process of the Balkans.”

Macedonia is taking over from Switzerland the chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe Tuesday and will be handing it over to Turkey in six months’ time. Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki is going to talk about the priorities of the Macedonian Chairmanship 2010.

Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski said in Strasbourg that the Macedonian Chairmanship of the Council of Europe was a possibility to promote the country and improve its image. Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki is going to talk Tuesday about the priorities of theat the Council of Europe.

 

More than 300 participants at the Second World Conference for Inter-Religious and Inter-Civilization Dialogue voted for a declaration which reads that the respect of religious rights and cultural diversity are a foundation for peace and prosperity. 

- Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt in Stockholm Thursday met with his Macedonian counterpart Antonio Milososki. According to Milososki, Sweden remains a loyal supporter of Macedonia in obtaining a date for EU accession talks. 

The announcement from the NLA, in which this disbanded organization claimed responsibility for the incident between the police force and the armed group at Blace last week when arsenals of weapons were discovered, was sent through a server in Switzerland.

It is still being investigated who Avni Selimi, who signed the announcement, is. A man of that identity is not known to either the police or the commanders from BDI.

Inspectors of the Interior Ministry discovered based on the IP address that the email was sent from Switzerland. The Interior Ministry said that it would ask the Swiss police for additional information via Interpol.

Interior Minister Gordana Jankulovska said police had full control of the security situation and had the information important for the stability of the region. The police are investigating who sent the announcement to Alsat M television in which certain Arben Selimi explains the incident between the police force and the armed group at the Blace border crossing to Kosovo.
The EU condemned the announcement of the NLA concerning the recent incident at Blace for which the NLA claimed responsibility. EU Ambassador Fouere said the EU, the OSCE and the USA condemned every act of violence and praised the Macedonian authorities for the rapid and proper reaction. The missions of the international community have recently issued a joint statement raising concern over the hate speech and the proclamation of the Framework Agreement as dead by some political parties.

 

How to enrich the Macedonian- Israeli bilateral communication and the intensive political relations, which began improving after Macedonia reached a decision to open an embassy in Tel Aviv, were some of the subjects that were discussed Monday by Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki and Deputy PM and Foreign Minister of Israel Avigdor Lieberman, during his first two-day official visit to Macedonia..
“The Republic of Macedonia and Israel not only as states, but also as nations historically have a tradition of friendship and cooperation,” stated Milososki after the meeting. By confirming the traditional good relations Liberman welcomed the activity of the government and the Jewish community for the Holocaust Memorial Centre.
Among other thongs, Liberman stressed that the biggest security threats against the international community didn't originate from the Balkans. The chief of Israeli diplomacy said that the best way of solving the name dispute between Macedonian and Greece is with direct communication. He emphasized that his country hopes that Macedonia will soon become a member of the EU and NATO.

There is no reason for concern, yet the authorities should be more careful, experts say in regard to what happened recently on the Macedonia-Kosovo border and the police discovery of four bunkers with weapons near the Blace border crossing and of a hand launcher in Struga a day later. The weapons, according to the estimates of the security services, were kept by an extremist group that could destabilize not only Macedonia but also the region.

Interior Minister Gordana Jankulovska says the police have full control of the situation and that the action they took was in line with the severity of the risk. In her view, former NLA commander Xhezair Shaqiri Hoxha’s warning that Macedonia is being threatened by radical groups that have been bringing arms to Macedonia for three months is unfounded.

 

Name issue mediator Matthew Nimetz has reactivated the activities for the name issue talks and had separate meetings with the Macedonian and Greek negotiators, Zoran Jolevski and Adamantios Vassilakis, on Wednesday. UN sources confirm that the meetings took place at the UN headquarters in New York and were part of the regular consultations within the framework of the mediator’s mandate.

According to unofficial information, Nimetz produced nothing new in these meetings that are said to be part of the preparations for the new round of talks at which he is expected to table more concrete ideas.

Following his separate meetings with the negotiators, Nimezt also met UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at his request. However, details of the meeting have not been revealed. The meeting was confirmed by UN spokesperson Martin Nesirky, who said that a compromise should be reached.

“The solution should be acceptable to both countries and the UN has not set a deadline for finding it,” the spokesperson said.

- The Macedonian police on the Macedonia-Kosovo border near the Blace border crossing was attacked Thursday in an action in which weapons were confiscated. A larger group of uniformed and armed persons securing the weapons opened fire on the policemen. According to unconfirmed information, the attack was carried out by 12 armed men and one of them is said to have been seriously injured, as there are no injured members of the Macedonian police.

The criticisms of the Framework Agreement and the hate speech from the leaders of PDSH, Menduh Thaci and Arben Xhaferi, prompted the joint statement of the EU, NATO, the OSCE and the USA, says Nova Makedonija.
Political parties assessed this statement in different ways. The paper comments that in no neighboring country representatives of the EU, NATO, the USA and the OSCE address the public in the way they have been doing in Macedonia over the past decade.

The heads of mission of the EU, NATO, the OSCE and the USA issued a joint written statement Tuesday raising concern over the recent statements of political leaders speaking of divisions, conflict, and leaving of the Framework Agreement. The Statement appeals to all political leaders to confirm their full commitment to the Ohrid Framework Agreement and the strengthening of the political dialogue. The country is encouraged to continue all the reforms necessary for realizing the foreign policy goals of the country.

- Greece has not responded to the Macedonian request for landing of the government plane in Athens and this is the reason why PM Gruevski cancelled his visit to Greece where he should have participated in The Economist Conference. Macedonian Ambassador to Athens Blagoja Handziski confirmed for Nova Makedonija Tuesday that the Greek authorities did not grant Macedonia’s request for the landing of the government plane.

“Macedonia Chairmanship 2010” is the most appropriate term for us, Macedonian Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki tells Deutche Welle when commenting Macedonia’s upcoming presidency over the Committee of Ministers.
“This title would be most appropriate for us as a country, protecting the minimum of its national dignity as chair-country, it would not collide with the norms of the Council of Europe and suit the institution's spirit that focuses on human rights, freedom and democracy," stated Milososki.  
Milososki assesses that the name issue will not overshadow Macedonia’s chairmanship with the Committee of Ministers.
“Neither we, nor I hope Greece intend to burden the Council of Europe with issues that are irrelevant to the essence and operations of this organization," added Milososki.
The Greek delegation has so far not instigated an initiative for contesting the Macedonian chairmanship.

Name issue mediator Matthew Nimetz is constantly communicating with both parties and is expected to put forward a new package of ideas by end May, sources from the governing party say.

EU Ambassador Erwan Fouere said Prime Minister Gruevski’s statement stressed the urgency of bilateral talks between the two countries. According to Fouere, the EU Council is dedicated to setting Macedonia a date for opening talks by the end of the Spanish Presidency.

Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski said in the TV show “We” that if he is offered “Republic of Northern Macedonia” for all use, the only thing he could do was to organize a referendum. “If you asked me how I would vote in the referendum, I would vote against. The Government has a stance and we have a program as to what our position is.”

Pope Benedict XVI met with Macedonian ambassador Gjoko Gjorgjievski to the Holy See. Pope Benedict XVI expressed great respect for the Macedonian historical, cultural and spiritual legacy and expressed hope that Macedonia “will become part of the European Union without losing its spiritual and human values”.

 

Macedonian Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki in Tallinn Friday had a brief meeting with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The chief of Macedonian diplomacy informed Clinton about the newest events in Macedonia and certain initiatives for creating a better climate for surpassing the bilateral name dispute. 
Milososki stressed that Clinton’s standpoints “confirmed Macedonia’s expectations that USA’s priority in connection to the region is the sooner accession, not only of Macedonia but of other countries that would meet the conditions for a NATO membership”.

- Friday morning at 7.45 am, the branch office of “Komercijalna Bank” is robbed in shopping mall Bunjakovec located on street “Partizanski Odredi”. The robbers are on the run and the amount of stolen money is still unknown. This is the second robbery of this branch office over the past month.

There is a possibility that the time is now to put pressure on Greece regarding concessions in the name negotiation dispute, stated MEP Daniel Cohn-Bendit. “It is time to end this game,” said Cohn-Bendit. He said that he has always had a simple stance: “Macedonia is Macedonia and it will remain Macedonia.”

The way out of this situation is possible by pressuring Greece to raise the blockade of Macedonia’s European integration.

- Constitutional Court judge Igor Spirovski, deputy member of the Venetian Commission, believes the endeavors to justify the proposal of introducing a double vote by ethnic principles in taking decisions at the Constitutional Court are a huge offense for the integrity of the legal mind and reasoning. Spirovski says this is an attempt at destroying the constitutionalism and rule of law.

Macedonia's EU, NATO membership will contribute to the prosperity of South-East Europe and motivate other countries of the region to meet the Union's entry standards, Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski and Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos said Tuesday at a meeting in Skopje. Moratinos also met with Macedonian president Gjorge Ivanov.

 

Macedonia could get set with a date for start of EU negotiation talks during the Spanish EU Presidency and Spain will invest all its energy for this to become a reality, stated Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos during Tuesday’s joint press-conference in Skopje with Macedonian Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki. Minister Milososki stated that it is in the interest of Macedonia and Greece but also the EU, Macedonia to start with the EU negotiation talks.