Struga

North Macedonia's Prosecutor's Office is working on at least six active cases that are in different stages of investigation and refer to suspicions of abuse of position and fraud in connection with the Mayor of Struga, Ramiz Merko.

"While serving as Struga's mayor, Ramiz Merko misappropriated funds and interfered with judicial and other public processes, damaging the public's faith in North Macedonia's democratic institutions and officials," the US State Department explained shortly in a press release on Tuesday.

"Immediate measures have been taken in connection with the case of the attacked and beaten co-chairman of the association of Bulgarians in the Republic of North Macedonia Bekir Kadrieski in the town of Struga" - this is what Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mariya Gabriel commented:

The co-chairman of the association of Bulgarians in North Macedonia "Shemeto" Bekir Kadrieski was beaten by a stranger in the city of Struga.

This happened today, Kadrieski himself told Nova TV.

The man said he was knocked to the ground and kicked. Kadrieski explained that during the beating he was insulted on ethnic grounds with the words "dirty Bulgarian".

North Macedonia has defended its decision to stop a shipment of 920 copies of a Bulgarian book intended for a Bulgarian cultural centre in Skopje, after Bulgaria on Sunday sent a protest note. The books were not allowed across the Deve Bair border crossing between the two countries at the weekend.

Raised in Kosovo, Tuda returned to live in Struga in 1993 at a time of growing political tensions in Kosovo. Together with her brother they opened the U2 - Cafeteria, a form of homage to the famous Irish band whose songs were popular at the time in Kosovo, especially because of the lyrics about freedom. It was while listening to U2's songs that Tuda felt inspired to write her own pop songs.

The coalition will be joined by two MPs of the Democratic Party of Albanians, DPA, and three MPs aligned with a faction of the BESA party led by Afrim Gashi, BIRN reported.

The ethnic Albanian Democratic Union for Integration, DUI, is already in the government.

The OSCE South east Europe Media Conference, meeting in Struga, Macedonia, on Thursday adopted a declaration condemning the attack on Montenegrin Vijesti journalist Olivera Lakic, and called on the authorities in Montenegro to ensure that the investigation is independent, effective and speedy and that the perpetrators, including its masterminds, are brought to justice.

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.

Dilaver Bojku aka Leku, a controversial local businessman, previously known as "the Balkan prostitution boss," has been killed in the Macedonian town of Struga.

Bojku was was shot to the head at around 17:00 hours CET on Monday on a Lake Ohrid beach that he held a concession for, in front of beachgoers.