About: name disputes
Violence erupts after Füle mission to Macedonia
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.
Füle heads to Macedonia ‘at critical juncture’
One week after warning that Macedonia's Euro-Atlantic path was “threatened”, Enlargement Commissioner Štefan Füle is in Skopje today (1 March), in an effort to defuse tensions between the government and the opposition that have been growing since last December.
Macedonia warms to Greek name solution initiative
Skopje has made a promising opening to Greece by reacting favourably to a proposal aimed at resolving the long-standing name dispute between the countries.
Greece floats proposal for Macedonia name solution
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.
Ethnic tension rocks Macedonian government
Macedonia may face early elections after an ethnic Albanian party that is part of the governing coalition threatened to quit in protest of a draft law on the rights of Macedonian soldiers and their families that was put before parliament.
NATO summit keeps enlargement off the table
A two-day NATO summit continues today (21 May) with the future of the alliance’s action in Afghanistan and the Europe-based anti-missile shield featuring high on the agenda. In contrast, NATO enlargement has been taken off the table.
MEPs scrutinise EU hopefuls ‘case by case’
The European Parliament adopted yesterday (14 March) resolutions on three countries, representing extremes in terms of their EU accession process: Iceland, which moves on a fast track; Macedonia, the accession talks of which are blocked for a seventh year due to a conflict with Greece; and Bosnia and Herzegovina, where the reform process is stalled.
EU deplores ethnic violence in Macedonia
The European Commission "deeply regretted" a spate of attacks between Macedonia's Slav and Albanian communities and called on politicians and civil society to handle the "emotional aftermath" with care, a spokesperson for enlargement Commissioner Štefan Füle said yesterday (12 March).
Greece, Macedonia to meet with little expectation
Greek and Macedonian leaders are to meet on the sidelines of next week's EU summit amid few indications that they will make in headway in the dispute over national identity that has prevented Macedonia from starting accession talks since becoming an EU candidate seven years ago.
Court blames Greece for blocking Macedonia’s NATO bid
The International Court of Justice has ruled today (5 December) that by blocking Macedonia's NATO bid in April 2008, Greece has breached a bilateral agreement signed between the two countries in 1995.
Füle shows Macedonia yellow card
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".
Macedonia’s ‘warrior’ monument infuriates Greece
A statue of a 'warrior on horseback' resembling Alexander the Great, currently being erected in the centre of Macedonian capital Skopje, has sparked fury in Greece, which warned that Skopje was gambling with its EU membership aspirations with such provocations.
Macedonia to hold referendum on new name
Macedonia said it was ready to agree to a proposal by the UN's special envoy to change its name and thus resolve a long-standing dispute with Greece, but that the decision would have to be approved in a nationwide referendum.
Macedonia name dispute: Time to decide, says Barroso
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).
Macedonia name dispute inspires exotic idea
A renowned research institute has suggested that Macedonia change its name to an agreed formula on the day of its EU accession as a means of resolving its ongoing dispute with Greece. As exotic as this may seem, the proposal has already triggered interest and debate in regional media.
Macedonia to add ‘Vardar’ to its name
According to reports, Macedonia is close to finding a formula to defuse its long-standing name dispute with Greece, which has prevented the former Yugoslav republic from starting EU accession talks and has kept it outside the NATO alliance.
Veteran Bulgarian politician: Macedonia ‘name conflict’ is perverse
Blocking the start of EU accession talks with Macedonia over the country's 'name conflict' with Greece is "perverse", as it is unacceptable for a country to be denied use of whatever name it chooses, Zhelyu Zhelev, Bulgaria's first democratically-elected president, told EURACTIV in an exclusive interview.
Macedonia under pressure to solve ‘name dispute’
The EU's representative in Macedonia, Ambassador Erwan Fouéré, urged Skopje yesterday (6 April) to speedily resolve a 19-year dispute with Greece over the Balkan country's name. Recent statements by a Greek official were reported by the Western media – perhaps wrongly - as an "ouverture".
Enlargement commissioner: Macedonia has ‘window of opportunity’
The former Yugoslav republic of Macedonia has a "window of opportunity" to solve its long-standing name dispute with Greece, Enlargement Commissioner Štefan Füle told journalists in Brussels today (17 February). However, he stressed that external help could not act as a substitute for political will in Athens and Skopje.
Croatia’s accession negotiations set to conclude this year
The European Parliament has given a positive overall verdict on last year's efforts by Croatia and Macedonia to qualify for EU membership. In resolutions debated and approved yesterday (10 February), MEPs also took note of the limited progress made by Turkey in meeting EU membership criteria.