Tag: FYROM

To prevent a change of power resulting from economic misery, Albania's lame-duck Prime Minister Sali Berisha placed his bet on nationalist tactics for parliamentary elections. However, the new Socialist majority could not afford to reject unification ambitions for tactical reasons either, writes Dušan Reljić.

The European Parliament's rapporteur on Macedonia said it was better to postpone a decision to start accession negotiations with Macedonia than risk disappointing the country again and seeing it “walk away” from its EU path.

In the wake of a Commission report on Macedonia that underlines the country's "good" relations with its neighbours, the Foreign Ministry removed information from its website that was seen as irredentist by Bulgaria and Greece.

Riot police in Macedonia clashed with ethnic Albanian protestors over the weekend following the appointment of a former guerrilla fighter as defence minister. The clashes came after Enlargement Commissioner Štefan Füle visited the country to defuse tension between the government and opposition. 

Greece's foreign minister boycotted festivities marking 100 years of Albania's independence after its prime minister hailed a town over the border as part of "Albanian lands". The European Commission declined to comment today (29 November).

Greece has tabled a draft memorandum of understanding apparently aimed at seeking a solution to its long-standing name dispute with EU candidate Macedonia. But EU diplomats expressed disappointment at its content, which doesn’t appear to make new proposals.

Even in times of crisis, nine European countries strive to join the EU. It would be an “enormous mistake” if the Union would lose interest in expansion, Štefan Füle told EurActiv Czech Republic in an exclusive interview.

Hundreds of young Macedonia Slavs marched in Skopje yesterday (17 April) to protest against the killings of five fishermen north of the capital. Speculation about Albanian-led gang-style executions were reinforced by threats from a so-called "Army for the liberation of Albanian lands" to launch new attacks. 

In an unprecedented move, Enlargement Commissioner Štefan Füle has warned Macedonia that the country could lose the recommendation to start accession negotiations which it received last year, if no progress is made on the path to reform and if the EU hopeful keeps on taking actions considered by Greece as "provocations".

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán presented in Brussels yesterday (14 April) his country's accomplishments halfway through its EU presidency. Pre-empting tough questions on Hungarian internal politics, Orbán lashed out at some of Europe's "absurdities".

The socialist opposition in EU candidate country Macedonia has announced it is leaving the country's parliament, in protest against a move by the centre-right government to block the bank accounts of several media companies.

European Commission President José Manuel Barroso urged Macedonia and Greece to resolve once and for all their twenty-year dispute over the EU hopeful's name after meeting Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov in Brussels yesterday (9 September).

The EU's main objective for the Western Balkans region (South East Europe) is to create a situation where military conflict is unthinkable – expanding to the region the area of peace, stability, prosperity and freedom, established over the last fifty years in the European Union. The countries of Western Balkans have all been given the prospect of EU membership.

Despite growing opposition from some member states - namely those where the population has voted 'No' in EU Constitution referenda - the Commission wants to keep enlargement on track.

This report from a high level seminar organised by the Institute for Security Studies, debates what consequences the EU should draw from the conclusion in the European Security Strategy that 'failing states' is one of the 'key threats' confronting Europe. 

The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) will submit its formal application for membership status in the EU by the end of 2003.