Macedonians

Germany on Monday underscored North Macedonia's commitment to the Prespa Agreement under international law, urging the Balkan country to maintain its course toward EU membership.

Gordana Siljanovska was inaugurated as North Macedonia's president in a parliamentary session, where she referred to the country as "Macedonia," diverging from the official "North Macedonia" designation.

Greek Ambassador Sofia Philippidou left the session in protest, in line with Greece's Foreign Ministry directive.

BELGRADE - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic congratulated Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova on winning the recent run-off presidential elections in North Macedonia.

In a post on the social media network X, Vucic wished Siljanovska-Davkova success in her new post.

A damning report from the US State Department has unveiled a troubling reality of systematic racial and ethnic violence and discrimination against Bulgarians in the Republic of North Macedonia. The document, part of the State Department's 2023 report on human rights, sheds light on concerning incidents of violence and oppression targeting Bulgarians in the country.

The Thessaloniki-based National Theater of Northern Greece is celebrating an important milestone after hitting the 1-million seat mark in special group bookings.

These groups include a diverse range of theatergoers, from ex-convicts in social reintegration programs and patients at psychiatric facilities, to pensioners from community centers and school pupils for far-flung islands. 

Political statements originating from Skopje regarding the potential integration of Macedonians into the Bulgarian constitution have ignited a diplomatic dispute between Bulgaria and North Macedonia.

BELGRADE - Serbian Finance Minister Sinisa Mali announced the Open Balkan member states - Serbia, Albania and North Macedonia - had on Friday, March 1 officially established a common labour market.

Mali said electronic services for applications by workers would become available next week and that the eGovernment portals of the three countries would become interconnected.

North Macedonia will appoint language proofreaders in official institutions and state bodies to check all materials coming out of them for correct use of the Macedonian language.

This is done by virtue of the Law on the Use of the Macedonian Language, adopted on Friday by the Parliament and signed by President Stevo Pendarovski on Tuesday.

In December 2023, travel to and from Bulgaria increased compared to the same month in the previous year, according to data from the National Statistical Institute. The number trips of Bulgarians abroad for this month has reached 649.1 thousand, increasing by 7.3% compared to December 2022.

"I am not afraid to say that the Macedonians are our closest people, we have no closer people. And I clearly want to say that we do not want anything from North Macedonia. We have no strings attached and expect nothing from you. We only want to build even closer and better relations. We are not asking you to change your constitution, that is your internal business.