Macedonia

The interior ministers of North Macedonia and neighboring Bulgaria met Monday to discuss security arrangements ahead of weekend celebrations to honor a 19th-century revolutionary viewed as a hero in both countries.

Oliver Spasovski held talks with Bulgaria's Ivan Demerdzhiev amid fears of potential clashes by opposing nationalist groups.

After seven postponements, the trial began on Friday over the attack on the former mayor of Thessaloniki, Yiannis Boutaris, during the commemoration of the Genocide of the Pontians in May 2018 in White Tower Square.

SKOPJE- Serbia is committed to develop friendly relations with North Macedonia and countries in the region in line with mutual interests at regional and global level, Serbian Defence Minister Milos Vucevic said during a conversation with North Macedonian counterpart Slavjanka Petrovska in Skopje on Friday.

Bulgaria will demand with a note to provide access to people traveling to North Macedonia for the worshiping of the Gotse Delchev memorial on February 4. Representatives of the Bulgarian embassy there will also take part in the celebrations.

Will They, Won't They

North Macedonia's PM Dimitar Kovacevski (L) accompanied by ministers, leaves a press conference after announcing that his Government has accepted the so-called French proposal to resolve the dispute between North Macedonia and Bulgaria, July 16, 2022. Photo by EPA-EFE/GEORGI LICOVSKI

The Macedonian site "24 info" published an appeal not to allow Bulgarians to the grave of Gotse Delchev during the celebrations of the 151st anniversary of his birth on February 4 in Skopje.

The weather is likely to worsen on Thursday due to the area of low pressure across the country.

According to the Meteo weather service, heavy rains and storms will initially occur in the Ionian Islands and the western mainland Greece, which will be accompanied by lightning and hail.

There will be local rainfall in other parts of the country.

North Macedonia's government has ordered heightened security on February 4, when the country celebrates 151 years since the birth of its biggest hero, the Ottoman-era revolutionary Goce Delcev.

A row over whether to change the constitution to appease neighbouring Bulgaria and progress on the path to EU accession will set the tone for 2023 in North Macedonia, for both the government and its opponents.

"The statement of the Macedonian president repeats the theses of the RNM for many years, that it is an insult against the Macedonian identity and the Macedonian people, if you say things that are related to the objective reading of history - for example, if you say that Gotse Delchev is a Bulgarian, born in Bulgaria family.