Latest News from Macedonia

Kurz: Dialogue has to be continued, results implemented

BELGRADE - After the early parliamentary election on March 16, Serbia must continue reforms and the dialogue with Pristina with renewed vigor and implement the results of the dialogue, Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz has said.

More Macedonians Seek Asylum in Germany

The German Federal Service on Migration and Refugees said that 9,420 people from Macedonia lodged asylum applications in Germany in 2013, Deutsche Welle reported.

The figure represents a sharp increase from 2012, when almost 6,900 Macedonians sought asylum in Germany, and from 2011, when there were 1,750 applicants from the Balkan state.

Macedonia Launches Construction of Key Motorways

Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski announced over the weekend the start of work on the two new motorway segments financed by a loan of 574 million euro from the Chinese Export-Import Bank.

In Serbia every 5th individual jobless

In the first month of 2014 even 42,771 jobless people have registered them with the National Employment Service. That is almost 2,000 people more than in December last year.

Macedonia and Greece sign military pact

The two countries signed a plan for co-operation specifying joint activities this year.

Macedonia and Greece defence ministers Talat Xhaferi and Dimitris Avramopoulos at the signing of the bilateral plan for co-operation in Athens.[Macedonia Ministry of Defence]

Serbia-Macedonia relations are excellent

BELGRADE - Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic met with Macedonia's Foreign Minister Nikola Poposki on Friday and said that the relations between the two countries were excellent and there was nothing that could disturb them.

75 film premieres at 42nd Fest

BELGRADE - The 42nd International Film Festival Fest, to be held from February 28 to March 9 in Belgrade, will feature 75 films from around the world, organizers announced.

Serbia, Macedonia "to cooperate more closely"

BELGRADE -- Foreign Ministers of Serbia and Macedonia Ivan Mrkić and Nikola Poposki agreed on Friday in Belgrade that the two countries "share the same EU prospects."

They announced closer cooperation in the future.

National Theater to perform in Turkey

BELGRADE - Belgrade's National Theater will participate in the first International Balkan Countries' Theater Festival to be held in the Turkish city of Bursa on March 8-22, with their production of William Shakespeare's Henry VI, National Theater released on Thursday.

Besides the host country, the festival will gather theaters from Croatia, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Greece and Romania.

Venizelos Sounds Upbeat on Name Dispute With Macedonia

Greek Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos - whose country holds the EU presidency - said he felt more optimistic on the “name” dispute after meeting Macedonian leaders on Thursday.

Macedonia Mayor Dismisses Threat of Divine Punishment

The mayor of Prilep has acted to calm religious tensions in Macedonia after the head of the Muslim community, Sulejman Rexhepi, wrote on Facebook that Allah would strike him down for his alleged role in the burning of the Charshi-Mosque in Prilep in 2001.