Stip

The Prime Minister of North Macedonia, Christian Mitskoski, emphasized that in every statement and interview he has made so far, he refers to the country as “Macedonia” and the citizens as “Macedonians,” for whom, as he said, he “fights.”

North Macedonia's police searched 11 premises in the capital Skopje and in the towns of Veles, Stip, Strumica and Valandovo on Wednesday, arresting six suspected members of a migrant-smuggling group.

Three more suspects are still being sought, police said.

Some Balkan and Central European countries are facing the risk of a second big wave of COVID-19 cases after lifting restrictive measures imposed to curb the pandemic - some say prematurely.

After another worrying peak in infections over the past few days, North Macedonia has ordered a full 80-hour lockdown of the capital, Skopje, and the towns of Tetovo, Kumanovo and Stip. Curfews there will start at 9 pm on Thursday and last until 5 am on Monday.

Macedonia's SDSM, led by Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, confirmed its widespread support, winning 18 of the 35 municipalities in which voting took place Sunday. The first round already suggested widespread support on October 15 (SDSM won 39), which together with Sunday's vote means that in total the party now controls at least 57 out of Macedonia's 81 municipalities.

Macedonia's ruling Social Democrats, SDSM, celebrated a convincing victory Sunday night during the first round of local elections, widely regarded as a key test of the new government's popularity.

The completion of two highway stretches funded by a Chinese loan of 574 million euros is now uncertain after work was temporarily halted in order to fix problems with the routes and the incomplete expropriation of the land.

Macedonia's new opposition interim Interior Minister, Oliver Spasovski, said the police organized crime department was investigating allegations that at least 30,000 fake IDs had been produced in time for next year's early elections.

They were allegedly produced at two secret locations, in the town of Stip and in the Skopje suburb of Shuto Orizari.

Russian company Stroytransgaz will start building a gas pipeline in Macedonia that would link the Balkan country's gas network system to neighbouring Greece.

The Skopje Law Faculty, the Skopje Faculty of Drama Arts, the private FON University and the State University in the town of Stip have formally rejected the proposed legal reform to institute state-run tests, arguing that it will not benefit students' education as the authorities have claimed. 

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