North Macedonia

As of 10 am there is heavy traffic, cars and trucks, from Bulgaria on the border with Turkey, Border Police said. On the other borders there is heavy traffic to Serbia and Greece. On the Bulgarian-Romanian border, there is considerable traffic to Bulgaria. Traffic is normal on the border with North Macedonia.

Ethnic Albanians could play a key role in deciding who wins the North Macedonia presidential poll run-off on May 5, but the first round of the elections showed that no party can claim to control their votes.

Ruling alliance candidate Stevo Pendarovski [right] with Prime Minister Zoran Zaev [left]. Photo: EPA/EFE GEORGI LICOVSKI

At a press conference, Zaev said that based on 98.28 percent of votes, SDSM-DUI candidate Stevo Pendarovski had won 321,201 votes, while opposition VMRO DPMNE's candidate Gordana Siljanovska received 316,872 votes.

People casting ballots in North Macedonia. Photo: EPA/EFE GEORGI LICOVSKI

Meanwhile, the main problem blocking progress has been solved - 'North Macedonia' has become a reality. Or has it?

State capture

North Macedonia ex-prime minister Nikola Gruevski arrives in the court in Skopje, 2018. Photo: EPA-EFE/GEORGI LICOVSKI

This Sunday will see the first round of presidential elections.

European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini expects North Macedonia and Albania to start negotiations for accession to the European Union in June.

This will happen unless Skopje extradites 15 Turkish nationals Ankara accuses of taking part in a failed coup in 2016, the article said, citing Balkan Insight.

Turkey is reportedly threatening to delay the ratification of North Macedonia's NATO accession protocol if the Balkan country does not extradite 15 Turkish nationals Ankara accuses of taking part in a failed coup in 2016.

They compared well to the deadliest year in a while, 2013, which saw 199 road deaths.

However, over a decade, the country has made no real progress and is just back where it started.

According to European Commission data on road deaths in the 28 member states for last year, 25,100 people died on European roads in 2018, representing a rate of 49 casualties per 1 million people.