Macedonia Daily

Another year has gone by, the time goes so fast, last christmas seems like a month ago. 2006 was a good year, many things happened, especially for Macedonia. Also of course the year Macedonia Daily was born, in October to be exact. After that we did not look back and continued working on the site after receiving many positive comments from you guys. Of course we will continue like this and even better in the new year 2007 and hopefully many more years to come.

We would like to thank you again, for supporting and visiting our site, for the positive comments but also the negative comments and we will ask you to keep visiting the site and to be involved in the Macedonia Daily Spotters Network.

For now we would like to wish you a very happy new year and all the best wishes for 2007! We will be back on Monday and hopefully you will too!

Yours Sincerely,

Macedonia Daily

Posted by Macedonia Daily at 5:24 pm | Permalink | Comments

MD Network

We reported you about Elena Risteska's new album "192".

At our [Macedonia Daily Network] page you will find a complete interview by TEA Shema, with Elena about her new album.

Click on the link and enjoy!

[Interview]

Posted by Macedonia Daily at 5:22 pm | Permalink | Comments

Entertainment.

one of our most popular singers at the moment, Elena Risteska had a great "Police" performance this week, presenting her new album "192" to the public at the "Be Two" night club in Skopje.

In a complete sexy Macedonian Police outfit she presented her new songs by singing them live to the public, 12 to be exact.

Among the many visitors, were also Skopje mayor Trifun Kostovski, Kaliopi, T-Mobile manager Rubin Zareski, Jovan Jovanov and many other known Macedonians.

Her new album is the 11th edition of M2 productions and can be bought since yesterday for only a symbolic 100 denars.

Some famous international artists have worked on this album too, like, Leroy Chambers and Morris pleasure.

MD: As we said recently, she changed Macedonian pop music into a whole new dimension, we recommend you to buy her album and enjoy her songs. Also her website is running since today updated into a brand new site!

[Elena Risteska]

[MMM]

Posted by Macedonia Daily at 11:52 am | Permalink | Comments

National.

Recently we reported you about renaming Skopje Airport into "Alexander the Great" or "Pavle". Now the government's decision was made and the airport will be renamed, Alexander the Great. Greece immediatelly reacted angrily to the governments decision.
Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis protested at Macedonia's decision, saying: "History cannot change, or be falsified, 2,000 years on".

"Alexander the Great is a leading figure of global appeal...a Greek conqueror who established himself in history by spreading Greek culture across the entire known world," Ms Bakoyannis added.

The name change still needs to be approved by international air traffic authorities before it can be enforced. Greece will probably lobby as much as they can to have influence on the decision made by IATA. Macedonia's Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki said the decision was a "goodwill" gesture, "with which we wanted to pay our respects to this historic person who brings peoples and countries together".

"We didn't have any intention to monopolise the name," he added.

While Skopje's airport got the name of our most famous Macedonian, Ohrid airport will be renamed into "St. Apostle Pavle".

MD: Bravo to our Government! Finally some justice about our king! Let's hope Macedonia will not bend for Greece and their allies again like back in the nineties. and what ms Bakoyannis is saying, she knows it's crap, and the world is getting to know it too.

[BBC]

Posted by Macedonia Daily at 11:50 am | Permalink | Comments

Diaspora.

A presentation of Macedonian culture, art and folklore under the motto “If you talk about Macedonia, talk with love” is being held in the Hernen Castle in the south of the Netherlands from 26-31 December. The event is organized by Berovo Municipality, the Hernen Castle and Karatanov Tours. The presentation opened on 26th December with a ceremony that was attended by the Berovo Mayor, Mr. Venko Pasaliski, representatives of the Macedonian Embassy in the Netherlands and Director of the Hernen Castle, Mrs. Victoria van Alst.

Thirty-one reproductions of 11-15 century frescoes from Macedonia, printed on canvass were displayed. The author of the photographs is Robert Jankulovski. Painter Dijana Tomic – Radevska presented a PowerPoint presentation of designs of her carpets, and an exhibition of handicraft from Berovo was also opened.

The evening on 27th December was dedicated to the Macedonian film and opened with “Happy New Year ‘49” by director Stole Popov and “Before the Rain” and “Dust” by Milco Mancevski. Degusting Macedonian specialty dishes and wines is organized today with Macedonian folk music and performance by Berovo artists. A Byzantine evening will be held tomorrow (29th December) within which Pit van Hayde will perform Byzantine songs in Old Slav language. Publisher Goce Drtkovski will present a multimedia CD, Painterly Heights (Masterpieces of Macedonian Frescoes from 11th to 15th centuries).

Tourist opportunities of Macedonia will be presented by Vasko Karatanov on 30th December. Karatanov is the founder of the Dutch travel agency Karatanov Tours, which organizes exclusive trips to Macedonia. Case Sherfes and John Peters, great friends of Macedonia who often organize humanitarian campaigns in Macedonia will speak about our country.A church service will be held on the New Year’s Eve by Reverend Ilija where Milaim Destanovski and Ljuben Pop Gjorgiev will also perform. The celebrations are continuing with Macedonian renowned artists who have been educated and live in the Netherlands, Cvetka Sozovska, Elizabeta Griovska and Robert Cekiov.

MD: Good to hear, the Dutch always had a big interest in Macedonia. Also in tourism, before the Yugoslav wars broke out, the Dutch were had the biggest tourist share in Ohrid, Macedonia. Since 2004 Macedonia started to get promoted again in Holland and allready many Dutch tourists havevisited Ohrid again after a break of almost 20 years.

[Culture.in.mk]

Posted by Macedonia Daily at 11:48 am | Permalink | Comments

National.

Four objects have been allotted to Macedonia after allocation of the diplomatic and consulate buildings of the former SFRY across the world. Macedonia got the Embassy in Canberra, a part of the Embassy in Athens including an object and a courtyard, the building of the Consulate in Zurich and residential quarters with area of 320 square meters in Rome, the Macedonian Foreign Ministry announced.

This was agreed at the meeting of the Mixed committee for distribution of the diplomatic and consular property of the former SFRY, which took place in Zagreb on 21 December.

The members of the Committee adopted a resolution, including two annexes, on allocation of 44 out of a total of 67 diplomatic and consular objects located in Europe, North America and Australia, the announcement adds. The negotiations on the remaining assets will continue at the next meeting of the Committee, scheduled for 15 January in Skopje.

MD: Of course, Serbia was allotted 21 objects, Croatia 10, Bosnia-Herzegovina 8, and Slovenia three objects. However, the government announced that they are very satisfied with this.

[Lobi]

Posted by Macedonia Daily at 10:36 am | Permalink | Comments

National.

Bulgaria officially opened a consulate in Bitola on Wednesday, serving residents there and in nine nearby towns.

Bulgaria's EU accession next week prompted the move, since as an EU member, Bulgaria will have to introduce visas for its Balkan neighbours.

MD: Before the rise of Skopje, Bitola has always been the home of the foreign diplomats in Macedonia. There are still some consulates in Bitola and there are coming more again. Greece opened a consulate last year, now this one and the Bitola mayor said Serbia, Montenegro and Ukraine will open their consulates as well.

[SE Times]

Posted by Macedonia Daily at 10:34 am | Permalink | Comments

National.

The military intelligence chief of Macedonia has been sacked, Macedonia’s defense minister said yesterday. Lazar Elenovski said military intelligence failed to prevent the new weapons from leaving army warehouses.

The defense minister said another two senior military intelligence officers were also removed. Macedonian police seized three trucks loaded with undocumented weapons two weeks ago and arrested four Bulgarian men on smuggling charges.

"More details including the Defense Ministry's stance and the concrete measures that the Ministry will take will be announced soon. We need more time to wrap up the investigation and collect all information," Defense Minister Lazar Elenovski said.

MD: All because of when the police seized a consignment of army weapons allegedly being smuggled to Bulgaria last week.

[Ekathimerini]

Posted by Macedonia Daily at 10:33 am | Permalink | Comments

National.

Macedonian police confiscated more than a pound of C-4 high explosives from a furloughed convict who was allegedly trying to take it into Greece.

Former policeman Dusko Lazarevic, on a weekend leave from a jail at Idrizovo, allegedly stashed some 17.7 ounces of the explosive in a spare tire of his Mercedes and set off for Greece, Serbia's RTS radio-television reported Wednesday.

The Interior Ministry of the Republic of Macedonia said officers at the Bogorodica crossing point at Gevgelija were warned by informers of Lazarevic's alleged plans to cross into Greece with forged documents and hidden explosives, RTS said.

Skopje's Vreme daily quoted experts as saying the C-4 explosive, which is made in the United States, is not used by Macedonia's police or military.

MD: Again interception of weapons, Macedonia has become a transit country for everything bad, weapons, drugs, slavery...

[UPI]

Posted by Macedonia Daily at 12:31 pm | Permalink | Comments

National.

The medieval fortress overlooking Strumica, Carevi Kuli (Tsar’s Towers), which according to historians date to the time under Macedonian Tsar Samoil, i.e. late 10th and early 11th centuries will be reconstructed during next year.

To that end, about 200,000 euros will be allotted from the Strumica Municipality budget to be used for the arrangement of the accessing path to the fortress and supporting the foundations and walls of the two existing towers and the gate portal. The funds are not sufficient for returning the fortress its authentic looks, so financial support from international foundations is expected.

"Within the cross-border cooperation programme between Macedonia and Bulgaria, the towns of Strumica and Petric have jointly applied with two parallel projects for reconstruction of Carevi Kuli and the cultural and historical monument Samoilova Krepost outside Petric. The programme coordinated by the Secretariat for European Affairs within the Government of the Republic of Macedonia, which will be funded by the European Agency for Reconstruction, relates to a package worth 50,000 euros to 300,000 euros for each of the two projects.

Evaluation and selection of the best project is made by the European Commission in Brussels and the procedures pertaining this are closing to an end. Given that our application contains all the necessary elements of the regional approach and fully expresses the essence of the very precise criteria typical for these European foundations, we hope for an affirmative answer and soon launching the reconstruction of the two preserved towers above the town," Strumica Mayor Zoran Zaev said.

Strumica archaeologists have discovered a rich archaeological treasure of a quite spanning age – from pre-history to the Middle Ages at the site. The first phase funded by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Macedonia unearthed remains of a home, a significant layer of pre-historical ceramics, three-layer funeral practices from under the Romans and mediaeval necropolises. However, the archaeologists are frustrated because they have found many dug-off sites by illegal diggers who have destroyed a great part of archaeological values and old artefacts.

[Culture.in.mk]

Posted by Macedonia Daily at 12:28 pm | Permalink | Comments

National.

The foundation stone of the new dairy plant "Swedmilk Makedonija" was laid today by the Director General of "Swedmilk Makedonija", Roger Oscarson and the Macedonian Prime Minister, Nikola Gruevski.

According to the announcements, as much as 15 million euros will be invested in the first construction stage.

Upon completion of the object, about a hundred workers are planned to be employed. The management of Swedmilk Makedonija also unveiled plans for concluding agreements for milk purchase with as many as 5.000 local milk producers that will provide raw material for a daily processing of 250 tons of milk.

"Our ambition is to become a leading competitor at the dairy products market, and we will pursue that goal in line with the highest EU quality standards", Oscarson said.

"We are investing in Macedonia because we see clear business opportunities and strong potential for development of the milk industry", he added.

MD: This is a good investment, especially for the Macedonian local milk producers. The plant will be put into operation on 1 june, 2007.

[MakFax]

Posted by Macedonia Daily at 12:24 pm | Permalink | Comments

National.

Strippers from Bulgaria are the most wanted in Macedonia for the Christmas and New Year holidays, providers of the services say.

Around 30 Bulgarian strippers have been hired to dance in the nightclubs of Macedonia on the New Year's Eve, also many of them surprisingly are male.

Experts in the area said this year the demand is great and Bulgarians have conquered
the market, taking the first pale, that was traditionally occupied by Serbians.

MD: 90% of the stippers in Macedonia are from the neighbouring countries, as we can see the most from Bulgaria. They have alot of work in Macedonia, especially in the winter holidays but also summertime in Ohrid and Struga, performing in night clubs.

[Novinite.]

Posted by Macedonia Daily at 7:14 am | Permalink | Comments

National.

An automatic collection of tolls system will be introduced on the highways across
Macedonia in 2007, authorities said.

The estimated value of the automatic toll booths project ranges 3-5 million euros.
The project is supported by the World Bank and the USAID. The toll booths will operate with pay cards. The authorities say the toll payment efficacy totals 65%, mainly because of misdoings by employees and unscrupulous drivers.

The project will become fully operational in early 2008. The surplus of employees will be reassigned to others posts in the Roads Fund.

MD: Good thing! The corruption is very high with the current system, however many people are going to lose their current jobs.

[MakFax]

Posted by Macedonia Daily at 7:13 am | Permalink | Comments

National.

Leaders of Macedonia's main opposition parties, the Social Democratic Alliance for
Macedonia and the Democratic Union for Integration (DUI) Radmila Sekerinska and Ali Ahmeti did not attend Monday's working breakfast with government leaders and the ruling parties. Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski expressed disappointment with their absence and accused them of deliberately undermining political dialogue in Macedonia.

For her part, Sekerinska said there was no point attending, as decisions have been made and opposition opinions would be ignored. She reportedly was referring to a draft law that would allow Macedonians living abroad to participate in elections. The ruling coalition prepared it without consulting with the opposition parties. DUI said it would participate in such meetings only if representatives of the international community were present.

MD: It's like, kids playing a game....

[Telma]

Posted by Macedonia Daily at 7:11 am | Permalink | Comments

National.

The main problem in Macedonia's judiciary are the lengthy trials, said Slavica Cubrik, Evaluation of Court Efficacy in Criminal Proceedings project coordinator.

At Tuesday's presentation of the Legal Analysis for 2006, organized by NGO coalition "All for Fair Trials", the NGO said it had observed as many as 149 trials in all district courts across Macedonia in 2006.

The project on evaluation of court efficacy in criminal proceedings was funded by the FIOOM, OSCE Spillover Monitor Mission to Skopje, and the Swedish Helsinki Committee on Human Rights.

According to Cubrik, the main reasons of protracted trials are the overdue of
individuals due to show up in court, the absence of witnesses, frequent delays in court hearings etc.

In the course of the project, cases related to violent criminality were subject to monitoring. The aid of the project was to determine the factors that cause the delay in court trials, and to inform the public about the rights arising from the Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights as to the principle on reasonable deadline.

The coalition of NGO's is part of a larger trial observation network in the country. Through the monitoring of domestic trials, the coalition aims to restore public confidence in the legal system and help ensure the right to a fair trial.

MD: This is a big problem in Macedonia. People are sueing eachother for very small things, where in countries like the USA, and the EU people are not even going to court with it and it lasts for months or even years to be solved.

[MakFax]

Posted by Macedonia Daily at 7:10 am | Permalink | Comments

National.

The mafia prepares an attack against the Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski Vreme newspaper reported yesterday. The Macedonian PM is under increased security for some time. Gruevski’s cabinet declared war on builder’s mafia, pharmaceutical mafia and tobacco mafia.

There is a great number of directors, company owners, lawyers, politicians, middlemen, notaries, judges, smugglers, criminals who are directly affected from the work of the cabinet, the newspaper announced. An additional problem for the security is the fact that as a leader of VMRO-DPMNE he doesn’t use the privileges of prime ministers.

MD: Only Vreme was reporting about this, so if it's true, we don't know. But his war against the mafia is. Recently he has met with Italian Mafia prosecutors.

[Focus]

Posted by Macedonia Daily at 9:09 am | Permalink | Comments

National.

The Catholics in Macedonia celebrated the Birth of Jesus Christ-Christmas on Monday.
A Christmas Mass took place Sunday evening in the Jesus' Holy Heart Catholic Church in Skopje. On the occasion of greatest holiday the Birth of Christ - Christmas, Skopje's Roman Catholic Bishop and Apostolic Exarch Kiro Stojanov sent Christmas message.

I wish happy and hopeful Christmas to all people with good will - Christ is Born!, read the message of the Skopje's Roman Catholic Bishop and Apostolic Exarch Kiro Stojanov.

MD: Allthough Macedonia is predominantly Orthodox, there is a significant Catholic group too. They have alot of churches and are very active!

Posted by Macedonia Daily at 9:05 am | Permalink | Comments

National.

The Macedonian government will provide free internet acces to the citizens from 31 December 2006 through January 2 in 2007.

"The Government will provide to all Macedonians citizens free internet access during the New Year holidays. Everyone will be able to log on and browse the web for free by typing user name 'Vlada na RM' and password 'ostvaruvame'," the newly appointed minister Ivo Ivanovski said today.

According to him, the Macedonian government will start executing a comprehensive programme aimed at citizens' education about the way the World Wide Web functions. The project, due to be set out in late March, will be carried out in the framework of the government's efforts for building up IT society.

The new minister said he would unveil plans on future steps aimed at development of IT Society in the beginning of 2007.

MD: Good initiative! especially for the youth. Macedonia is the last country
in Europe by the number of internet usage.

[Makfax]

Posted by Macedonia Daily at 9:03 am | Permalink | Comments

Diaspora.

At on of the most exclusive bars in Austria, the Sky Bar in Vienna to be exact, has been visited by many famous people, like Tom Jones, Bryan ferry, Eros Ramazotti, Samuel L. Jackson, and much European, Macedonian bussinesmen and politicians.

The most recent famous guest at the Sky Bar, where Macedonian, Aleks Tarik is the manager, was American "Desperate Housewives" actress, Teri Hatcher.

"It was on a saturday that Teri came at our door. She was accompanied by her daughter, babysitter, manager and her bodyguard. I received her and took her to the central room. Suddenly all guests in the bar wanted her to give them her signature but her bodyguard and her manager could keep them away. When i asked what she would like to drink, she asked me what i recommend and i offered her a cocktail by my recipe, "Aleks Fusion" and she said it was very tasty," Macedonian Manager Aleks said about meeting Teri.

"I went to the music system and put on a song of Barry White. It seemed i guessed her musical taste well because she suddenly stood up and started to dance. I and her bodyguard joined her to dance but also to protect her," Aleks added.

They took some pictures together and she left. She said that the next time if she is visiting Vienne she will be delighted to visit the Sky Bar and Aleks again.

Aleks Tarik was born in Veles, Macedonia. When he was 8 he left for Austria and is living in Vienna for 25 years now. He got his gastronomy diploma at the well known "Gastverb Fehmen" and he started to work in famous restaurants right after he got it.

He started at the Sky Bar as a bar tender, but kicked his way up and since august 2002 he is the manager of the Sky Bar, where he has a team of 25 people.

MD: That's very cool! We are happy and proud to see another succesfull Macedonian working outside of our country!

The recipe for the cocktail served to Teri Hatcher is available here at our MD Corner section of the MD Network

[Sky Bar Vienna]

[Vest]

Posted by Macedonia Daily at 11:10 am | Permalink | Comments

Culture.

Macedonian film “Before the Rain” of Milco Mancevski was shown at the international film festival of India (IFFI), which was held in Goa. This is one of the biggest festivals in Asia, held for the 37th time.

This is the film’s second projection in India. It was projected in several other Asian countries, which later established diplomatic relations with Macedonia – Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong etc.

Mancevski’s films (“Before the Rain” and “Dust”) have been shown in over 50 countries worldwide, with many of those projections being the first contact of those states with the Macedonian language and country.

MD: That's nice, it's a very beautifull movie, and it seems the world likes it too

[IFFI]

[Culture.in.mk]

Posted by Macedonia Daily at 11:09 am | Permalink | Comments

Regional.

The Republic of Macedonia wants the issue of Kosovo's status to be solved as soon
as possible.

"We want the solution on the final status to be reached as soon as possible. Quick solution does not necessarily mean a non-quality solution, however it would be good to bring the whole process to an end. We are not convinced that stalling would produce better conditions. One cannot expect a perfect solution," sources of the Foreign Ministry said.

According to the ministry, Macedonia's conduct on this issue is based on the state interest and the country will follow the examples of the EU member-states and of the USA.

The same sources pointed out that Serbia had no objections on mutual visits of
Macedonian and Kosovo's politicians, unlike Belgrade's reaction on the visit of
the Kosovo's PM Agim Ceku to Podgorica.

"President Crvenkovski keeps more regular contacts with Serbian authorities,
while the Foreign Ministry is more active towards Kosovo. This is where the
Macedonian balance regarding this issue is rooted", sources of the Macedonian
Foreign Ministry said.

MD: Well, a quick solution is better for al of us.

[MakFax]

Posted by Macedonia Daily at 11:05 am | Permalink | Comments

Culinary.

Hooo, Hooo it's Christmas, that's why we present you this sunday with another delicious recipe, you can serve these holiday's.

It's a nice Banana sour cream bread as a wonderfull desert
Here we go!

You'll need:
1/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup butter
3 cups white sugar
3 eggs
6 very ripe bananas, mashed
1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons baking soda
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Then, Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Grease four 7x3 inch loaf pans. In a small bowl, stir together 1/4 cup white sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Dust pans lightly with cinnamon and sugar mixture.

In a large bowl, cream butter and 3 cups sugar.
Mix in eggs, mashed bananas, sour cream, vanilla and cinnamon.
Mix in salt, baking soda and flour. Stir in nuts. Divide into prepared pans.
Bake for 1 hour, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

MD: Serve and enjoy! Merry Christmas!

Posted by Macedonia Daily at 1:21 pm | Permalink | Comments

National.

25 percent of the citizens of the Republic of Macedonia cannot afford to buy the most necessary items for a normal living, however, as much as 56 percent the Macedonians said they laid hopes in Government's activities.

This was said in the United Nations Development Programme “Early Warning Report” survey conducted by Brima Gallup with a nationwide representative sample of 1,058 respondents, of which 822 ethnic Macedonians and representatives of other ethnic groups, and 236 ethnic Albanians.

25% of the respondents said they can not buy even the absolutely necessary, 57.8%
said they can buy only the absolutely necessary, 15.2% said they can buy more than the necessary, and only 1.9% said they can afford to buy everything they like.

43.3% of the respondent said they have no income, 11.0% said they received some income, but not on regular basis, and 45.6% of Macedonians receive regular income.

On the question "Where do you see your future in terms of employment?", the respondent answered as follows: private company 20.5%, state owned company 15.0%, public administration 6.1%, self-employment 14.3%, working abroad, 21.0% and nowhere, there is no prosperity 16.5%.

MD: Unemployment, corruption and poverty are still very big problems in Macedonia and it's getting worse everyday, many had it much better in the nineties. Something should be done and fast, let's hope this government will do any good!

Posted by Macedonia Daily at 11:23 am | Permalink | Comments

National.

MD: This clip has been flying around the internet for a while now, however it's still funny to see and we think every Macedonian should see it.
Many see this as racism, and we don't blaim you guys, however as someone posted on the youtube site saying that: "You have to be Macedonian, to understand what and why he is saying this" and that's totally right!

The guy is the Macedonian Nostradamus. He is explaining his view on the world's multiethnic problems. It is shot by some tourists in a "Kajce" at the Ohrid lake shores.

Well, here it is:



MD: Keep in mind that Macedonia Daily has nothing to do with the man nor what he is saying and we are not supporting it in any way. It's just a source of entertainment.

Posted by Macedonia Daily at 11:05 am | Permalink | Comments

Sports.

Artim Polozani has been named as F.Y.R. Macedonia's Player of the Year for 2006, with S.S. Lazio's Goran Pandev taking the honour for foreign-based players. Now at FK Makedonija GP Skopje, forward Polozani earned great acclaim in the 2005/06 season as he helped FK Shkendija 79 reach the Macedonian Cup final.

"It's a great honor for me," he said. "I send my best wishes to my previous club, Shkendija, and hope that I can win the title with Makedonija this season."

While Pandev was honoured as the best Macedonian player representing a foreign team, FK Rabotnicki's Serbian forward Ivan Pejcic was honoured as the best foreign player in the Macedonian league. Rabotnicki, meanwhile, were named as team of the year after winning the title, reaching the third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League and then getting to the UEFA Cup first round.

In other awards, FK Sileks' Macedonian international forward Stevica Ristic took the crown as the year's top scorer, FK Skiponjat were named as the best women's team of the year, while Milka Arsova was honoured as the best female player. Zoran Leveski was named as the best futsal player if 2006 while his club, Alfa Parf, won the team award.

MD: Congrats to them! great players and let's hope they will continue like this, taking Macedonian football to the max.

[Football Int.]

[FFM Football awards]

Posted by Macedonia Daily at 11:00 am | Permalink | Comments

The members of the US Marine Corps will deliver a donation today which consists of gifts for approximately 80 children at the SOS Children’s Village in Skopje.

"US Marine Corps serving at the U.S. Embassy in the Republic of Macedonia have coordinated a donation drive to benefit a local charity in Macedonia for the third year in a row," a press statement says.

“We are pleased to participate here in Macedonia in this long standing tradition. Our goal is to deliver a message of hope to less fortunate children that will help motivate them to grow into responsible citizens and community members”, Staff Sergeant Vicente Mendez, commander of the Marine detachment at the Embassy said.

MD: Great, Macedonia is among 132 countries worldwide hosting an SOS Children’s Village. The SOS Children’s Village concept was initiated by the Austrian philanthropist Hermann Gmeiner in 1949, with the goal of giving parentless children a permanent home and a stable, family like environment.

[Makfax]

Posted by Macedonia Daily at 12:22 pm | Permalink | Comments

Culture.

Macedonian Poet Nikola Madzirov received the second award at the international poetry festival "Samhain" in Ireland. Madzirov won the award for best haiku cycle in competition of about 100 haiku poets from the entire world.

Janek Sapkota from Nepal has won the first award, while the third went to Christopher Harold from the USA. The jury was comprised of haiku poets, Katal Sarkeh and Gabriel Rozenstock.

MD: Congratulations, many Macedonians are competing in cultural festivals recently, and with much succes as we can see

[Culture.in.mk]

Posted by Macedonia Daily at 12:12 pm | Permalink | Comments

National.

Italian Under-Secretary for Justice, Alberto Maritati, visited Macedonia for a one-day official visit.

Macedonian Justice Minister, Mihajlo Manevski hosted a meeting with Maritati on Wednesday, government's press release says.

The meeting was focused on the cooperation between Macedonia and Italy in the area of civil and criminal law.

MD: There is much cooperation with Italy recently..

[MRT]

Posted by Macedonia Daily at 12:09 pm | Permalink | Comments

National.

With a big party in the Bellevue hotel in Ohrid, a new casino was opened at the "Metropol lake resorts" complex.

At the exclusive location, complete in Las Vegas style hundreds of guests from all over the Balkan came to try the roulette, slot machines and the black jack tables.

After the opening event several bussinesmen from Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia, Montenegro and of course Macedonia continued the party to the Gala in the restaurant of the Metropol Lake Resort.

While some were enjoying the good food and their drinks, others were trying their luck at the slot machines and the black jack tables or dancing on the evergreen songs which were played by a live band as the party continued untill the next morning.

MD: Congrats! Nice to hear new things are opened, good for tourists and for the economy. And you might want to look in our October archives and read about metropol being awarded as Macedonia's best hotel.

[Metropol Lake Resorts]

[Vest]

Posted by Macedonia Daily at 2:21 am | Permalink | Comments

National.

Australia's leading commercial television, Channel 7 anounced that it will broadcast new travel guides as of January 2007 that will include Macedonia.

Six outlets will be broadcast to 10 million audiences in Australia, featuring locations of 21 countries, mainly the former Soviet Union states.

The series which are titled as "Palin's New Europe", worked out by Michael Palin of the BBC, who currently tours countries such as Macedonia, Bosnia, Albania and Moldova, presenting their cultural and historical heritage.

MD: Great! for Macedonia and for the people down under!

[Channel 7]

[Makfax]

Posted by Macedonia Daily at 2:19 am | Permalink | Comments

National.

Two explosions occurred in Skopje's Taftalidze district late on Monday, causing material damage. The blasts occurred around 22:40 hrs on Prashka Street in the premises of Mashinopromet Company, Interior Ministry's spokesman Borce Peshevski told Makfax news agency.

The blasts at the roof of the warehouse had broken the windows of the Koni-kom Company office. The police has launched an invstigation at the site of the blast.

MD: It is still unknown what it was and who or what did it

[MRT]

Posted by Macedonia Daily at 2:17 am | Permalink | Comments

Macedonia Daily

Dear visitors,

Our new Macedonia Daily Network is running now! On this brand new section of Macedonia Daily you can continue being a Macedonia Daily Spotter, and for those of you who don't know what that is, please visit the site, open the tab "Spotting" and read all about it there.

Also there is a new feature, the "MD Corner" where we will publish interviews and talks with interesting Macedonians from around the globe!

Thank you for the positive feedback, for visiting the site and we ask you to keep visit Macedonia Daily and from now on the Macedonia Daily network too!

, Macedonia Daily admin.

Visit the site here:
[Macedonia Daily Network]

Posted by Macedonia Daily at 3:44 pm | Permalink | Comments

Sports.

The Brazilian football player Oliveira who has played for several Macedonian football teams in the past seven years, passed away yesterday.

The former Vardar, Rabotnicki, Shkendia and Pobeda player was brought in the Toxicology Clinic in Skopje on Tuesday, showing no signs of life at all.

The clinic anounced that he had no heart activity when he was brought in. According to unconfirmed sources, Oliveira's fellow Brazilian in Macedonia, Braga brought his body to the hospital. Braga told the doctor that Oliveira got sick at a party at home, where he had two beers.

The results of the tests are expected to reveal the cause of Oliveira's death.

MD: May he rest in peace, he was a great footballer for the Macedonian competition. It's a scary thought, one moment you are having a drink with friends and the next you are fighting for your life.

[Makfax]

Posted by Macedonia Daily at 7:44 am | Permalink | Comments

Culture.

Macedonian pianist Simon Trpceski performed Saint Saens's Second Piano Concert together with the London Symphony Orchestra at the prominent Barbican Hall on Sunday evening. This was Trpceski's debut with this orchestra, which has a 102-year history, to be led by the great Russian conductor Valery Gergiev in 2007.

The concert was played under the baton of Antonio Pappano, conductor and current musical director of the Royal Covent Garden Opera in London. Simon Trpceski came to prominence in the United Kingdom at the London International Piano Competition in 2000, which was followed by his exceptional Wigmore Hall debut recital in 2001. Since, he has performed with many regional orchestras, the BBC Symphony and Philharmony orchestras, as well as the Scottish Chamber Orchestra in his successful
debut at the Proms in July 2004.

A born performer with astonishing technical command and a magnetic personality, Simon Trpceski has also delighted audiences in Europe, the United States, Australia and Asia, with recitals and concerts, such as Saint-Saens no.2, Grieg, Tchaikovsky no.1 and Rachmaninov no.3.

MD: That's nice to hear, he is a very well pianist, and it seems he has alot succes. Below a link to Amazon where you could buy his CD if you like classical music

[Simon Trpceski official site]

[Buy his CD]

[Culture.in.mk]

Posted by Macedonia Daily at 7:42 am | Permalink | Comments

Regional.

The prime ministers of Albania, Bosnia-Hertegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania and Serbia signed a new Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) in Bucharest on Tuesday. The deal replaces the current network of 32 bilateral and free trade accords between SE Europe countries and will contribute to the creation of a free trade area in the region.

"The creation of a single such agreement is aimed at boosting commercial exchanges and to support countries in the region to prepare more efficiently to cope with rules and competition pressure on the single market," Romanian PM Calin Popescu Tariceanu said on the occasion.

He said the initiative was supported by the European Commission and top EU officials.

The European Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn, who attended the reunion, said that CEFTA complements stabilization and association accords that the Commission operates or negotiates with Western Balkan countries. For candidate and potential candidate countries CEFTA is a phase of initiation to the tight economic cooperation specific to EU member states, he said.

The deal is the most important multilateral accord in the region as it is the first form of regional economic association since the fall of communism in this part of Europe.

MD: Romania and Bulgaria will leave CEFTA when they join the European Union on January 1, 2007

[News.ro]

Posted by Macedonia Daily at 7:39 am | Permalink | Comments

Regional.

Montenegro is planning to start a campaign to attract Macedonian tourists to its Adriatic Coast next year, the Montenegrin Ambassador to Macedonia, Dusko Lalicevic said in an interview for Dnevnik newspaper.

Lalicevic said that Macedonian tourists could expect good news for vacation options in Montenegro.

MD: We've got both beautifull countries, can't we make a deal? Like, "we go visit your beaches and you visit our hotspots" :) Now we have to go abroad for the sea, imagine if we still had the beautifull Aegean beaches in our control, that would be just awesome

Visit this cool Montenegro tourism portal, and maybe considering a trip:

[MonteNegro]

[Focus]

Posted by Macedonia Daily at 8:49 am | Permalink | Comments

National.

A Macedonian delegation led by Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski visited the Vatican city saturday and they came back with a positive result, saying that the Vatican is supporting Macedonia in it's EU aspirations.

"We can rely on Vatican as supporter and partner to the Republic of Macedonia," said Gruevski, adding that the Vatican's support is extremely important for Macedonia.

They also talked about Macedonia's dispute with Greece and with the Serbian orthodox church. "I've elaborated the absurdity of the situation that's taking place with the Serbian Orthodox Church. They are mostly neutral on the issue, however they've always had determined their own influence," Gruevski said.

The delegation included Macedonian foreign minister Antonio Milososki and Vice PMs Zoran Stavreski and Imer Selmani. Before they left for Macedonia the delegation visited St. Clement’s Basilica, where they laid flowers on St. Cyril's tomb.


MD: Gruevski also invited the pope to visit Macedonia in October, and he said that Radio Vatican might start broadcasting in the Macedonian language as of next year.

[Makfax]

Posted by Macedonia Daily at 8:48 am | Permalink | Comments

National.

The Macedonian government will set up an investigation for the clarification of the weapon affair which took place last week.

"The investigation of the Ministry of Interior upon cooperation of the Defense Ministry and ARM General Staff is under way. It is aimed at thorough clarification of the case and bringing those involved to justice", the Government announced

Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski had a meeting yesterday with the Minister of Defense, focusing on the details and the developments related to the affair.

Gruevski requested quick and efficient clarification of the case and conducting
all necessary procedures for establishing the responsibility of all those involved.

MD: Last week the Macedonian authorities seized arms being transportated/smuggled in trucks on the road to Bulgaria. After a while Macedonia's ARM announced that the arms did belong to them and that it was a legal shipment and denying that it was seized at Skopje's outskirts. Not clear at all, everyone has his own story!

[Makfax]

Posted by Macedonia Daily at 8:46 am | Permalink | Comments

National.

The denver post published an article about Macedonia and it's winter carnivals recently. The article was written by Christopher Deliso, who lives in Macedonia and is specialized in the Balkan and mediterranean travel writing for lonely planet.

He mentions Macedonian carnivals from this winter, for example the Vevchani carnival, talking about a "Unique and uproarious carnival, a rough-hewn spectacle held in a mountainside village near lake Ohrid" and the Strumica carnival being "more sexy and salacious" than Vevchani.

MD: As we mentioned friday, Macedonia is finding itself in many newspapers around the globe, this is a perfect example. Good way to promote our beloved country and it can be very informative for us too!

Read the entire article

[here]

[Denver Post]

Posted by Macedonia Daily at 10:27 am | Permalink | Comments

Culture.

The animated film "Poisonous Well" by the young Macedonian animator Nikola Cikos will be part of the official selection of animated short films at the 9th Future Film Festival, which will take place in Bologna, Italy from 17 to 21 January.

The Future Film Festival is one of the biggest Italian festivals, which aims to promote animated films and special effects. This year the festival will put an accent on the digital film and its production.

"Poisonous Well", which went into premiere last month, tells the story of the post-modern man, deprived from security and great ideas about the future, left only to himself, his own abilities and his constant search for individuality and originality.

MD: Very good! let's hope some awards will be won. The film will have it's next premiere in Sofia, Bulgaria, by the end of this month at the new Bulgarian university where Nikola Cikos studies.

[FFF]

[Culture.in.mk]

Posted by Macedonia Daily at 10:19 am | Permalink | Comments

National.

The vice-president of the Russian Lukoil oilcompany, Nikolai Cherny, will visit Macedonia today.

He will be holding talks with Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, with a main focus on the obligations arising from the Memorandum of Cooperation, signed by the Macedonian Government and the Lukoil Company.

In the course of two-day visit to Skopje, Cherny will be informed about company's plans for the year 2007.

MD: Lukoil started its operations in Macedonia last year, under the name "Lukoil Macedonia". A gas station in Kamnik was opened and a oil base in Stip.

[Makfax]

Posted by Macedonia Daily at 10:11 am | Permalink | Comments

Culinary.

Today we got you a very cool, simple and funny Christmas recipe! These cookies are perfect to eat on a cold winter sunday evening. Let's start!

You'll need 1 cup of butter or margarine, 3/4 cup of sugar, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon almond extract, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 cup flour and 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder.

Then cream the butter and sugar well. Beat in egg and almond extract. Sift dry ingredients and gradually blend into mix. Tint dough with a few drops of green food coloring. Mix well. Fill cookie press. Form cookies on ungreased baking sheets using tree plates. Decorate with colored sprinkles. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Cool on racks.

MD:Enjoy!!!

Posted by Macedonia Daily at 12:11 pm | Permalink | Comments

National.

Macedonian top officials led by Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski will have an audience with the Pope Benedict XVI today.

It will be the first official visit of a Macedonian PM or President to the Vatican. The meetings so far have been protocol and took place on May 24, marking St. Cyril's day.

A official invitation is expected to be handed over to the Pope to visit Macedonia at the meeting, which will be also attended by Macedonian Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki.

The Macedonian delegation will ask the Pope for support on its road to EU integration.

The delegation which departed on Friday include Vice PM's Zivko Jankulovski and Imer Selmani.

MD: The pope should should visit Macedonia, especially for being a biblical country

Posted by Macedonia Daily at 11:36 am | Permalink | Comments

Regional.

A web site for the Visa Abolishment Campaign has been launched by the Citizens Pact for South Eastern Europe.

“The visa regime is especially hard for young people who very often do not have a document that proves that they have immovable assets or regular income. Most young people from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia and Albania have never left their countries. Those who are expected to build a new and better Balkans are simply not allowed to see the functioning societies,” the pact states.

At the end of last year the Citizens’ Pact published a book “The Best Stories from Visa Queues” with twenty best stories selected after a competition where young people from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia and Albania could participate.

The Citizens’ Pact has led a variety of campaigns for the cause, such as the “No to 60 Euros!” activity against the rise in the price of the Schengen visas for the citizens of the Western Balkans.

This summer, at the EXIT 06 festival in Novi Sad the Citizens’ Pact held a discussion called “Myths and Legends about the Schengen White List – When Will We Travel Like Normal People?” where one of the participants was the European Union Enlargement Commissioner, Ollie Rehn.

MD: Macedonian people are suffering much under the visa regime. Recently there were some activities by the Macedonian government, trying to simplify the procedure of issuing visa's. In fact Macedonia was the first western Balkan country to negotiate with the EU about the visa facilitation. But no results yet.

Visit the website here:

[Need Visa]

[B92]

Posted by Macedonia Daily at 10:51 am | Permalink | Comments

National.

Several journalists from France and Portugal stay in the country these days,
followed by representatives from the most known newspapers from Germany and the Netherlands.

They will promote Macedonia by publishing articles about the cultural heritage, flora and fauna and customs in Europe's most known newspapers.

The main goal of the project is to get the attention of the common individual from the European countries, who will read something about Macedonia, cultural protection and the tradition, provoking them to visit the country.

Journalists Ann Marie Romero of the French newspaper “Le Figaro” and Luis Mayo of the Portuguese “Publico” visited the churches “St. Spas” at the Old Skopje Bazaar, “St. Pantelejmon” in Nerezi, Mustafa-Pasa mosque at Kale, followed by the Sarena Dzamija in Tetovo, Bigorski monastery, as well as many churches in Ohrid.

Romero is thrilled by the merger of cultural traits from different historic periods, united in the contemporary way of living. She recommends that authentic materials should be used for the protection of cultural heritage, conservation and restoration. Moreover, her colleague Mayo was much impressed from his meeting with singer Esma Redzepova after attending several of her concerts in Portugal.

MD: Great! Macedonia needs these things, after the release of the Alexander movie and the CNN commercial of last year, Macedonia is often seen in newspapers, magazines, travel brochures and websites all across Europe. (btw, the pic is a shot of a Macedonian promoting article in the dutch newspaper, the telegraph)

[Culture.in.mk]

Posted by Macedonia Daily at 10:49 am | Permalink | Comments

National.

Macedonian authorities seized three trucks loaded with weapons apparently being smuggled into neighboring Bulgaria, the Skopje police said.

The weapons included mortars, machine guns, assault rifles and pistols, Macedonia's Kanal-5 television reported Friday. The equipment had been property of the army of the Republic of Macedonia and had been decommissioned.

The Macedonian Interior Ministry confirmed the trucks were seized Thursday outside Skopje and an investigation was under way.

The Macedonian Defense Ministry said its own investigation was opened to establish who permitted taking out the arms from the Skopje factory compound where the weapons were refurbished.

The army said the arms were a legal shipment within a compensation treaty between the Bulgarian and Macedonian armed forces, the Skopje Maxfax online newspaper said. But, the Macedonian police ministry said the trucks lacked transportation documents and had no proper escort.

MD: However, yesterday evening, Macedonia's ARM anounced that the arms belong to them and that the shipment was totally legal, denying that the shipment was seized at Skopje's outskirts.

[World News Connection]

Posted by Macedonia Daily at 10:47 am | Permalink | Comments

Regional.

In response to the protest organised today, the leader of the Bulgarian opposition party ATAKA (Attack), Volen Sidorov, told focus news agency that the theory of Macedonism is developing further on, and the current sources of it are located in the European Union and the USA.

"Bulgarian analysts are persistent in claiming that these actions are coming from the Comintern. It is well known fact that Comintern had been dissolved in 1943, nonetheless, Macedonism is still present and it's coming from EU and USA", Volen Sidorov said.

According to him, Bulgaria should attach greater significance to the question "who stands behind this matter". "The real problem is the high-ranking officials of EU, including Olli Rehn, who have great influence over this issue"

Stating the fact that CIA's official web site presents Bulgaria as a country in which a Macedonian minority lives "It stands as a clear proof that USA is supporting separatist organizations such is OMO "Ilinden" PIRIN".

"It is necessary to concentrate all resources of the state machinery in order to come up with a single stance that will be spell out to Brussels and Washington", Sidorov added to his story.

MD: "Some call the need and right of the basic human rights, separatism"
Let's look what wiki has to say about him: Volen Siderov, a controversial Bulgarian extremely right politician, known for his hard attitudes towards Bulgaria's minorities, especially Gypsey's and Turks. He became a member of the movement for human rights in the nineties, and now he is against all basic human rights the minorities need? A bit hypocrit isn't?

[Focus]

Posted by Macedonia Daily at 8:59 am | Permalink | Comments

National.

A big protest calling for respecting the rights of the Macedonians living in Bulgaria will be organized today outside of the European Union Mission in Skopje, Makfax agency reports.

The protest is organised by the World Macedonian congress, the Alliance of associations of Aegean Macedonians, the Association of Muslim Macedonians and the Macedonian union of students.

The protest will last from 12.00 untill 13.00, where the organizers will hand over a decleration to the European Ambassador to Macedonia, Erwan Fouere and to the Parliament Speaker, Ljubisha Georgievski.

The organisers will request the European Union, as well as others to respect the rights of the Macedonians living in Bulgaria and to condemn the police torture of OMO "Ilinden" PIRIN members.

MD: All of you in Macedonia, you should go to the protest. There is allready so much done by the diaspora and many others to help this issue, but there is no positive result yet, let's hope this protest can change something, as we said; the time is ticking.

[Makfax]

Posted by Macedonia Daily at 8:58 am | Permalink | Comments

Culture.

The Macedonian Film Library has been awarded Tuesday with the Golden Leopard Award, Golden pardino which was presented to Igor Ivanov's short film "Bugs" at the 59th International Film Festival in Locarno, Switzerland.

"The award will be a witness of the success of our young generation," Film Library Director, Boris Nonevski said at the award ceremony.

Director Ivanov expressed satisfaction that his film, under Macedonia's constitutional name, has been presented at about thirty film festivals and was seen by about 120,000 people.

"A movie is the most powerful advertising weapon," Ivanov said before the Bugs projection in Skopje yesterday, adding that the country should pay more attention to this art, which plays a significant role in presenting a nation.

For the last few months Ivanov has been working on the "Navel of the World" film, under the novel of Venko Andonovski. The premiere is expected for March next year.

MD: Congratulations! Another award for something Macedonian!

[Locarno film festival]

[Culture.in.mk]

Posted by Macedonia Daily at 8:57 am | Permalink | Comments

Sports.

No it's not about the UEFA cup nor the intertoto, it's the Scheveningen prison EX-YU league!
Football club Vardar which is playing in the Scheveningen prison in the Netherlands has defeated the Croatian club Dinamo several times now, recently they won with 15 to 12, reports Vest newspaper.

The two football teams are made up by prisoners from the Ex-Yu republics. The Vardar team was created by the initiative of Johan Tarculovski, he is also the only Macedonian in the Vardar team. According to him the team is made up by Milan Martic, goalie Mile Mrksic, Ljubomir Borovcanin, Milorad Trbic, and Miroslav Bralo, while their manager is the Serbian general Milosevic.

The Dinamo team exists of Slobodan Pranjic, Valentin Gorovic, Bruno Stoic, Jadranko Prlic and Serbian generals Pavkovic and Lazarevic.

The Vardar team also got the official Vardar gear by Darko Pancev.

"I was very happy When i heared they made a Vardar team in the Hague. I've talked to Johan and he said that his colleagues of Dinamo got official shirts from the real club so i imediatelly called the club to send official shirts, for all the players over there, so they will know which colors they are defending.
We packed them and sent them along with Johan's wife, Sonja. Johan is a very big fan of Vardar, in Ex-YU, Vardar was the best known Macedonian club. I am happy they defeated Dinamo, and when they get the Vardar shirts, they will have to again," Macedonian football legend, Darko Pancev said.

The Dinamo shirts were delivered personally by Dinamo's club president. The famous Croat in the Hague, Ante Gotovina is not playing for the Dinamo team, it is said that he got angry at his friends from Croatia because he was the only one who did not get a shirt.


MD: Interesting! cool initiative, so Vardar is playing European football after all!

Posted by Macedonia Daily at 8:43 am | Permalink | Comments

National.

Macedonian and Greek archeologists will start a cross border acheological exploring in the Southern Pelagonia Valley and the north of Greece, Makfax news agency reported.

The project is of a crossboundary nature and it is organized by the Bitola institute and museum, the Aristotle university of Solun and the Macedonian museum. Four representatives of Macedonia and Greece will be included in the project.

The biggest objective of the exploring is to collect data on the Bronze age. They will visit the sites near Bitola's villages Karamani and Radobor in Macedonia and the sites near Janitsa in Northern Greece.

"There will be no archeological excavations or direct conservations in the course of the research on Bronze Age," said the archeologist Engin Nasuh of the Bitola's Museum. He added that there will be access routes to archeological sites, project promotion and marketing.

Also there will be created a website, including CD's and a catalogue soon. The project will run in the next 18 months and is financially supported by the Council of Europe.

MD: So long the Greeks don't start digging into Macedonian soil and taking artifacts out of it, everything is cool.

Posted by Macedonia Daily at 8:42 am | Permalink | Comments