Monday, April 30, 2007

'MOJOT SVET' THRILLS CROWD IN SKOPJE


Entertainment.

"Really I feel great ... thanks for your support," Karolina Gocheva told a large crowd in Skopje, "I promise I won't have nerves on stage in Helsinki!" The singer who is representing Macedonia for the second time in the Eurovision Song Contest gave a large concert in Skopje's Metropolis Arena last Thursday night. The concert was a send off of sorts for the country before they send Karolina to Helsinki.

Fans who attended the concert report that the energy was high, and they spoke enthousiastically about the good mood in the hall. Reportedly "the hall was shaking" when Karolina sang Mojot svet (My World).

Karolina was joined on stage by guests Vlatko Stefanovski, Zlatko Origanski, Aki Rakimovski. The popular Serbian group Flamingosi also joined Karolina so they could performe their hit "Ti i ja" together.

MD: It was a great concert! Karolina also showed some concepts of the jerseys for the "Oboi go uspehot" campaign by mksportid

[esctoday.com]

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ZVEZDA ANGELOVSKA IN SAINT PETERSBURG


Culture.

Actress Zvezda Angelovska, who is on a post-graduate stay in Saint Petersburg, will have a premiere performance of author’s play “Non-Point – Italian Composition” in theatre “Osobnyak” on Saturday evening. The performance is a scene composition upon the music of Nicolo Pagannini.

Angelovska will perform alongside Italian actress Monica Santoro, who plays the flute. Theatre “Osobnyak” is considered one of the best chamber theatres in Saint Petersburg, setting works of investigative and experimental character.
Angelovska announced that she would try to bring the performance to Macedonia.
“It should not represent a problem that I speak Russian in the performance, because theatre and culture in general do not know boundaries. I am excited, especially taking into account that I perform on my own behalf”, says Angelovska.

MD: Thats wonderful! Much luck to Zvezda

[Culture.in.mk]

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GRUEVSKI HANDS OVER APARTMENT KEYS TO FAMILIES OF KILLED DEFENDERS


National.

Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski handed over Friday apartment keys to 32 families of killed defenders. - The apartment, constructed thanking to the Government's political will, have been granted in line with the Law on special rights of members of security forces and their families, Gruevski said.

Macedonia's Government is aware that it should keep supporting these families, particularly in regard to the education of their children, Gruevski added.


[MRT]

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Saturday, April 28, 2007

DIGGERS IN SEARCH FOR BUKEFAL


National.

In the last few months several illegal diggers at the Plackovica mountains are in search of Alexander the Great his secret city, because they heard that somewhere in a cave in those mountains hides a huge treasure and Alexander's golden horse, Bukefal.

The diggers are mining every place on which they think the treasure is located. Many mountain lover associations reacted furious to the mining of the caves by destroying the natural beauties.

They call for the government to do something to stop these diggers destroy the mountains.

For the people who don't know who Bukefal is; Bukefal was the horse of the famous Macedonian king, Alexander the Great. That horse led Alexander thru every battle and as far as India, where the horse eventually died, in honour to his horse Alexander named a city after him (close to modern day Jhelum in Pakistan).

The legend how they met begins with a Thessalian, bringing a wild horse to Philip II for him to buy. Nobody could tame down the gorgeous horse. Alexander, however, publicly defied his father and claimed that he could handle the horse. Alexander's reaction was viewed by his father to be immature, in addition to being disrespectful to all the people that failed to tame down Bukefal.

For that reason, Philip proposed, and Alexander agreed instantly, that if Alexander could ride the the "wild" horse, Philip would buy it; on the other hand, if not Alexander failed at taming down Bukefal, he would have to pay the price of the horse, which was 13 talents, an enormous sum for a boy of Alexander's age to have.

Alexander apparently noticed that the horse had been shying away from its own shadow, and so he led it gently into the sun, so that its shadow was behind it, all the while stroking it gently and whispering into its ear. Eventually the horse let Alexander mount him, and the 12 year-old Alexander was able to show his equestrian skill to his father and all who were watching.

Alexander called his horse Bukefal (Bucephalus) which means, Oxhead. His horse had a rather big head.

MD: If they find such a treasure that would be magnificent, but we don't think they will, and especially not with mining the whole place, how dumb can a human being be?

[Vest]

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FINALLY SOMETHING COOL FOR MACEDONIAN FOOTBALL FANS


Sports.

We are happy to inform you that are new partners of the website mkfudbal.com have opened their doors. Finally! Finally something interesting for our Macedonian football fans. They provide the latest news and other facts in and around Macedonian football, wether it's the NT or the MK treta liga, they have it all!

Also, in the future they will provide us of every sports news we publish. May MK Fudbal have a long and bright future ahead!

Nazdravje!


  • [MKFudbal]


  • [MD Network]

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    PASS THE PIPERKA?


    Diaspora.

    Our partners at Macedonianconnection.com started a whole new interesting concept, which they call "Pass the piperka!".

    The goal of this project is to add your name on the piperka list at the macedonianconnection.com website and pass the piperka on (by e-mail) to all Macedonians you know. The more Macedonians, the hotter the "Lutometer" gets.

    How long will it take to pass the piperka to a million of Macedonians worldwide?

    MD:We love the name, kep those interesting things coming!

  • [Pass the Piperka]


  • [MDNetwork]

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    Friday, April 27, 2007

    "ART GENERATOR" FESTIVAL IN ŠTIP


    Culture.

    Festival of urban arts “Art Generator” began with video-program of authors from Macedonia, Bulgaria and Albania in Stip’s “Bezisten” on Thursday evening at 20,00h. The festival’s second edition, organized by center for performing arts “Multimedia” from Skopje, will last for four days.

    “Art Generator” is a place for dialogue among Balkan communities, stressing art as medium of confrontation, communication and influence on social issues. The festival will include different contents from the fields of film, performance, music, as well as open and public installations, workshops and lectures.
    Topic of this year’s festival is “Manifest on Wheels: Chiasm of Artistic Mobility”. Video-productions from Slovenia, Bosnia Herzegovina, Croatia, Romania, Poland, Albania, Turkey, Bulgaria and Macedonia will be presented, along with two interactive workshops.

    The project is supported by the Ministry of Culture, “Pro Helvetia” and the Youth and Sport Agency.

    MD: Again a festival! The festivall season kicked off and they are worth paying a visit.

  • [Xtra info and programm]


  • [Culture.in.mk]

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    MACEDONIAN PARTIES FROM GREECE AND BULGARIA IN THE US


    Diaspora.

    Representatives of political parties of Macedonians in Greece and Bulgaria kicked off a visit to the United States, Voice of America's Macedonian news said.

    The visit was organized by the United Macedonian Diaspora (UMD). Pavle Vaskopulos, the leader of Rainbow - political party of ethnic Macedonians in Greece, and Stojko Stojkov, the co-president of OMO Ilinden-Pirin from Bulgaria, will discuss with the American interlocutors about the treatment of Macedonians minority in Greece and Bulgaria.

    Vaskopulos and Stojkov say they want to update the representatives of the international organizations and governments about the real situation of Macedonian minority in Greece and Bulgaria. They stressed that the US government pledged solidarity with the grievances of the Macedonian minority in these two countries - both members of the European Union.

    "As regards the human rights of minority groups, I am ready to say that there is a deficit of democracy in Greece although it is European country. In some way, there is a competition between Macedonians in Greece and in Bulgaria - which of them is in worse situation when it comes to human rights of minorities," Vaskopulos said.

    Stojko Stojkov, the co-president of OMO Ilinden- PIRIN, held separate meetings with representatives of the US Congress and State Department. He expressed his disapproval with the treatment of Macedonian minority in Bulgaria, in particular Sofia's refusal to register OMO Ilinden PIRIN as a political party.

    "The battle is still on in the Committee of Ministers of Europe, who is to meet on 4 June. I hope that the Committee will eventually comprehend the situation, and I hope that the arguments presented by Bulgarian government will be rejected, and the justice will win," Stojkov said.

    MD: Great visit, the event we've posted about two days ago was also part of the visit

  • [UMD]


  • [MakFax]

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    DELEGATION OF NATO PA VISITS MACEDONIA


    National.

    Macedonia's reform agenda, lustration process and Kosovo issue were some of the topics of discussions of the Macedonian PM and Ministers with the delegation of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.

    The visiting delegation is comprised of representatives of the Committee on the Civil Dimension of Security of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, led by the Committee's Chairman Michael Clapham.

    At today's talks in Skopje, PM Nikola Gruevski briefed the guests "on the Government's efforts aimed at acquiring membership in NATO, as one of the most important priorities in the foreign policy of the Republic of Macedonia".

    MD: Vice PM Imer Aliu, Gordana Jankulovska (The Beckham fan) and Antonio Milososki were also there.

    [MakFax]

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    Thursday, April 26, 2007

    SIGHTS OF MACEDONIA

    National.



    A model displays a creation of Macedonian designer Nikola Bulevski Bule during the Skopje fashion week April 23, 2007. REUTERS/Ognen Teofilovski (MACEDONIA)


    [MD Network]

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    DELEGATION AT SANDANSKI'S TOMB


    Regional.

    A delegation of the Macedonian Foreign Ministry kicked off a two-day visit to Bulgaria on Tuesday, says an official announcement. Macedonian Deputy Foreign Minister, Zoran Petrov is leading the Macedonian delegation. He is due to be joined by his Bulgarian counterpart Ljubomir Kjuchukov in laying flowers at the tomb of Jane Sandanski at the Rozhen monastery near Melnik.

    According to the announcements, Petrov and Kjuchukov will also pay respect to the tombs of the prominent Macedonian historic figures Krste Petkov Misirkov and Gjorche Petrov, located in Sofia.

    Deputy Minister Petrov's agenda includes also talks in the Bulgarian Parliament and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, focusing on the cooperation between the countries, stepping up of the mutual relations as well as on the current region's issues.

    [MRT]

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    Wednesday, April 25, 2007

    NEW ''EARTH-LIKE'' PLANET DISCOVERED


    World.

    Even though this has nothing to do with Macedonia or the Macedonians, nevertheless we would like to write something about this very interesting news.

    For the first time astronomers have discovered a planet outside our solar system that is potentially habitable, with Earth-like temperatures, a find researchers described Tuesday as a big step in the search for "life in the universe."

    The planet is just the right size, might have water in liquid form, and in galactic terms is relatively nearby at 120 trillion miles away. But the star it closely orbits, known as a "red dwarf," is much smaller, dimmer and cooler than our sun.

    There's still a lot that is unknown about the new planet, which could be deemed inhospitable to life once more is known about it. And it's worth noting that scientists' requirements for habitability count Mars in that category: a size relatively similar to Earth's with temperatures that would permit liquid water. However, this is the first outside our solar system that meets those standards.

    "It's a significant step on the way to finding possible life in the universe," said University of Geneva astronomer Michel Mayor, one of 11 European scientists on the team that found the planet. "It's a nice discovery. We still have a lot of questions."

    Alan Boss, who works at the Carnegie Institution of Washington where a U.S. team of astronomers competed in the hunt for an Earth-like planet, called it "a major milestone in this business."

    The planet was discovered by the European Southern Observatory's telescope in La Silla, Chile, which has a special instrument that splits light to find wobbles in different wave lengths. Those wobbles can reveal the existence of other worlds.

    Until now, all 220 planets astronomers have found outside our solar system have had the "Goldilocks problem." They've been too hot, too cold or just plain too big and gaseous, like uninhabitable Jupiter.

    The new planet seems just right — or at least that's what scientists think.

    MD: This is very interesting, maybe we or our children will all be moving to this new planet in the future!

  • [European Southern Observatory]


  • [Yahoo! News]

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    KOKINO PRESENTED IN BULGARIA


    Regional.

    Upon the invitation of the Astronomy Institute within the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and the Astronomy Department within the Physics Faculty at university “St. Kliment Ohridski” in Sofia, megalith observatory Kokino was presented before the Bulgarian scientific public.

    The scientific seminar also included the lectures of Gjore Canev, manager of the Planetarium within Skopje’s Youth Cultural Center, and Jovica Stankovski, director of Kumanovo Museum.“Lectures aroused huge interest, followed by scientific discussion. The significance of megalith observatory Kokino was once again reaffirmed as an exceptional monument and representative of an ancient culture that had existed at the Balkan space”, said Canev.

    Discussions touched upon topics on joint research and visits of scientists in the fields of astronomy and archaeology with the objective of contributing to the resolution of the open issues related to the development of communities and their cultures that had existed at the Balkan space about 4,000 years ago.
    Scientific lecture on ancient observatory Kokino will also be held in city Smolen on Wednesday

    MD: Kokino is really something Macedonia can present worldwide

    [Culture.in.mk]

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    FILM BY FILIP KONDOVSKI IN MONTE CARLO


    Culture.

    Film “Years of Solitude”, written and directed by Filip Kondovski, produced by “Dream Factory” from Skopje, has entered into the official competition of the international film festival in Monte Carlo. The festival is held on May 13-15, including 11 short and 11 feature films.

    “Years of Solitude” is a short film without words, where the story about solitude and destiny of generations of families are told through poetry narration.
    The cast includes Dragan Dovlev, Zvezdana Angelovska, Visar Viska and Saska Dimitrovska.

    MD: Let's hope it will score some positive points!

    [Culture.in.mk]

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    "DOMA" - MACEDONIAN CROATIAN MOVIE PREMIERE


    Culture.

    On thursday the 26th of April at 21.00 in the Tuskanac kino in Zagreb, Croatia a premiere will be held for the Macedonian-Croatian documentary movie by Gorce Stavreski.

    Filmed in production of the Macedonian-Croatian society for cooperation on cultural fields, Spectrum of Zagreb and the center for new cultural ideas, Lokomotiva in Skopje this movie shows aspects of the life of several people of the Macedonian minority in Croatia and the Croatian minority in Macedonia.

    Analysing the lifes of young individuals who more or less have had succes in social, religious and cultural fields, the movie deals with questions of identity, ties with roots, the mobility of young people and the relation of the system to the individual.

    This production is interesting because it is made by a mixed team. The director is Gorce Stavreski, assistant director Ivan Ramljak, director of photography in Macedonia, Dimitar Popov and for Croatia, Josip Ivancic.

    MD: If you are able to, you should attend the premiere! Seems interesting!

    Click on the link below for more info:
  • [Udruga Spectrum]


  • [Udruga Spectrum]

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    MHRMI GALA BANQUET


    Diaspora.

    Saturday April 21, 2007 the MHRMI organized a special Gala Banquet in the St. Clement of Ohrid Macedonian Orthodox Cathedral in Toronto, Canada.

    MHRMI was welcoming Macedonian human rights activists from all parts of Macedonia, Macedonians in Albania, Bulgaria and Greece and special guest Father Nikodim Tsarknias.

    Have a look at the images of the event
  • here


  • MD: Thanks to Alex of Makedonska Kafana for this one!

    [Makedonskakafana.com]

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    Tuesday, April 24, 2007

    DIGGERS LOOT MACEDONIAN ARTIFACTS


    National.

    "Watch your step," goes a joke by archaeologists in Macedonia, "or you might crack an ancient pot." Macedonia has some 6,000 registered archaeological sites. Experts warn that since the country gained independence from Yugoslavia 16 years ago, its ancient heritage has become increasingly vulnerable to looters who use sophisticated navigation and excavating equipment, leaving few sites unpillaged.

    A third of the country's workforce is jobless, and the government says it can only afford to hire one dedicated official to tackle the rampant illegal antiquities trade. "This is nothing but an open invitation for illegal diggers to come here looking for buried treasure," said 72-year-old Taip Tahiri, a retired teacher from the village of Dedeli, near Lake Dojran, about 112 miles south of the capital Skopje. His family home stands next to a rich Iron Age site with 98 excavated tombs.

    "This site has been explored a lot ... but groups of illegal diggers are still active in the area. Many of them made a fortune selling famous Macedonian bronzes to Greeks and other foreign buyers."

    Irena Kolistrkoska, head of Macedonia's archaeologists' association, warned each year that scores of local and foreign diggers uncover priceless remnants from the Iron Age, Macedonian empire, as well as Greek, Thracian, Roman and Byzantine artifacts. "There are two main reasons Macedonia is failing to seriously protect its cultural treasure: A lack of a strategy at a national level and the absence of credible experts in the field," Kolistrkoska said.

    Pasko Kuzman, director of the National Directorate for Protection of the Cultural Heritage, said Iron Age archaeological sites in southeastern Macedonia have been extensively looted. Police, he said, are already overstretched fighting organized crime, adding that fees offered by corrupt art collectors only encourage illegal excavations.

    "Macedonian bronze is trendy. It is world-famous because of the style and it can fetch very high prices on the black market," Kolistrkoska said. "Even the smallest piece can be sold for $1,350."

    East of Dedeli lies Isar-Marvinci, where villagers are usually on hand to guide visitors up to a hillside to hunt for ancient fragments. "You can easily find Roman coins or ceramics. Just look a little carefully. Every stone here is thousands of years old," said a villager, who refused to give his name or even his initials, fearing reprisals from other guides.

    Fifteen other local men have been arrested for illegal excavation and trading in artifacts. "As locals, we can find artifacts easily. But the state is not paying for them. We are jobless and foreigners are often around with money," the man said.

    Kuzman said that during excavations at Isar-Marvinci between 1995 and 2003, an estimated 2,500 artifacts were stolen. "No one knows how many important national treasures have been smuggled out of the country, but it's clear the police don't yet have the means to stop it," he said.

    While illegal digs are impossible to stop, Kuzman takes a long-term view and argues much of Macedonia's looted treasure can still eventually be tracked down abroad and returned. "Every inch of this soil is so rich that many discoveries are still awaiting us," he said. "One of my dreams ... is to bring back to Macedonia a bronze bowl with a beautiful relief, which was recently traced to New York."

    MD: Again we are pointed at the fact that many of our artifacts are being stolen everyday and so less is done to preven these thieves. Time for some action before our historical pieces land on some Chinese collector's fireplace.

    [USAtoday.com]

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    SLAVICA CUKTERAS IN KADINO


    Entertainment.

    Many of you like this music, many of you hate it, but still we present you this news, our visitors have alot of different tastes.

    Serbian "Grand Productions" superstar, Slavica Cukteras held a 4 hour concert last friday in the "Grand" discotheque in the village of Kadino, Skopsko.

    In the overcrowded club Slavica started the event at midnight with her big hit, "Zvaces je mojim imenom". The attractive star performed songs of her newest album and some songs of her older colleagues, Ceca, Seka Aleksic and Lepa Brena.
    She was very well received by the crowd and she made them all sing on Bijelo Dugme song's. After four hours of singing it was time to stop the show although many wanted to continue.

    The next star visiting Kadino will be Ana Nikolic!

    MD: Some big stars in that tiny village!

  • [Slavica Cukteras]


  • [Vest]

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    MD SONG OF THE WEEK

    MD Network





    "Crvena, crvena"
    Because we can really need some cheering after the bad football results lately. Let's cheer on untill and hopefully after the Israel game!

    Any ideas for the next “Song of the Week”? Let us know!
    Mail to: songs@macedoniadaily.org


    [MD Network]

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    MACEDONIA LEFT OUT ON REUTERS POLL


    National.

    Macedonia is the only country in the region that was left out of Reuters poll on which country will join the European Union, Makfax news agency quotes the Montenegrin daily Vijesti as saying.

    Vijesti daily quotes the results of a survey carried out April 10-16. The respondents included executives of European and world's largest banks and financial institutions.

    Vijesti daily does not specify why Macedonia was not even mentioned in the Reuters poll on countries aspiring for EU membership.

    The poll shows that Croatia will join the EU in 2010, according to Western companies.

    The other countries in the region - Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia - face a long wait for EU entry. These countries are likely to join the block in 2015. Turkey will join the EU in 2019.

    MD: That probably shows how the situation in our country is...

    [MakFax]

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    Monday, April 23, 2007

    VLATKOMANIA IN CYPRUS!!!



    Sports.

    Macedonian national team and AC Omonia Nicosia (Cyprus) football player, Vlatko Grozdanovski seems to be a real idol among the Greek fans of AC Omonia.

    He is playing very well for his club, all the teenage girls love him, kids wear his jerseys, he appears in magazines and he as even got his very own fanclub website!

    Macedonian football legend, Toni Savevski, who is btw widely regarded as one of the best foreign midfielders to have played in the Greek football league, has played for AC Omonia too in the past and Macedonian Riste Naumov is a part of the current team also. Omonia is currently on the second place in the Cypriot league, right behind Hapoel FC.

    MD: We never knew any Greeks would adore a Macedonian. That's the right way!

  • [Vlatkomania]
  • [AC Omonia]




  • [MD Network]

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    NEW RECOGNITION FOR MILCO MANCEVSKI


    Culture.

    Milcho Manchevski, the most successful of Macedonian directors and since recently, the Ambassador of Macedonian Culture in New York, is a honorary guest of one of ten most distinguished universities in the United States, Brown in Providence, Rhode Island this week. Manchevski will give a lecture entitled: “Ritual: Violence, Society, and Art,” the text of which will be published in “Interpretation” European Journal of Poetics and Hermeneutics by the Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts (MANU).

    “Before the Rain” and “Dust” are being screened this week within a mini retrospective of the director’s works.
    A panel discussion analysing Manchevski’s work is being held within the event with a number of representatives of US universities participating. The titles of some of the studies include: “Circle Is Not Round: A National Myth and Narrative Form of Milcho Manchevski’s ‘Before the Rain’,” “Born to Be Wild?: Compulsion of Recurrence, Intermediation and Lessons from History in Three Balkan Films,” “Return to Observation: Western Perception and Wars in Former Yugoslavia in Film” etc.
    Director Deborah Scranton is the moderator of the debate. She is the winner of Best Documentary Feature at Tribeca Film Festival 2006 for her “The War Tapes,” a film inspired by “Before the Rain” where the director gives a structural homage to Manchevski’s film.

    MD: Bravo!!

    [Culture.in.mk]

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    BULGARIA NON-EMANCIPATED TO COMPREHEND MACEDONIAN IDENTITY


    Regional.

    Bulgaria is not emancipated to hammer out the Macedonian identity issue, said Stefan Vlahov Mitsov, Bulgarian historian and philosopher, and also a former director of Macedonian Culture Center in Sofia.

    "If you want to see the truth about the Macedonian identity, you must be emancipated at any aspect and you must pay attention to the facts and you must look beyond the facts. You must ask yourself how such facts have emerged, as may of these facts had been created under political and economic pressure," Vlahov Mitsov said at today's meeting with readers attending the Book Fair in Skopje.

    Commenting the history-related manipulations, Vlahov Mitsov criticized Bulgarian authorities for not allowing the representatives of Macedonian minority in Bulgaria to place wreath at Jane Sandanski's tomb at Rozhen.

    Vlahov Mitsko qualified as provocation the statements and reactions of Bulgarian politician Krasimir Karakachanov. Namely, a two-meter-high plate was set up in front of Sandanski's tomb upon Karakachanov's initiative. Karakachanov claims that Sandanski had fought for liberation of Bulgarian Macedonia.

    Vlahov Mitsov is wondering "Is it possible to set up a propaganda monument next to grave?"

    MD: The visit of the Macedonians to place a wreath on the tomb went without any incidents though.

    [MakFax]

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    Saturday, April 21, 2007

    DID YOU KNOW?....


    National.

    Did you know Macedonia is the only European country where there used to live lions such as recently as 2000 years ago?

    We are talking about the Panthera Leo Persica (Asiatic Lions) and once ranged from Macedonia to India, covering most of West Asia where it was also known as the Persian Lion.

    The ancient Macedonians were very fond of Lion hunting, in fact, Alexander the Great did it very often and was one of his favourite activities. Our best evidence for Alexander's fondness of lion hunts is found in Plutarch (Alex. 40-41). After his victories over Darius, Alexander noticed that his companions were becoming acquired to luxurious habits. To ensure that they would keep focussed on war - even in the long lulls between battles - Alexander actively promoted lion hunting. He tried to set an example by exposing himself to the hardship and danger of lion hunts.

    There is even found a mosaic in the ancient Macedonian capital of Pella showing Alexander and Craterus fighting with a lion. In the mosaic you can see Alexander wearing the traditional Macedonian hat "kausia" (click on the pic above to see in big size).

    The presence of the Asian Lion in Europe was also attested by Herodotus and Aristotle. Herodotus recorded how Xerxes' Persian invasion army of 480 BC was attacked by lions while bivouaking on the eastern fringes of Macedonia. This happened during the night and the lions restricted their attack solely to Xerxes' pack-camels. Herodotus claims that the habitat of lions in Europe was small and was confined by the Nestus and Achelous rivers (Herodotus VII, 124-126).

    It is generally assumed that around 80-100 AD the Asian lion had become extinct in Macedonia. In Western-Asia they remained widespread for the time being. In the Holy Land lions disappeared during the Crusades. In Pakistan the Asian lion was exterminated in 1810, in Turkey in 1870. In Iraq the last lion died in 1918 and in Iran (Persia) the last Asian lion was spotted by railway workers in 1942.

    Today the Asian lion remains only in Gir Forest, Gujarat, India. In 1900 the population of the Asian lion in Gir had dwindled to a meager 20 survivors. Thanks to protection the numbers in Gir have risen to today's standards of 202-290 animals. The Asian lion is slightly smaller than its well-known African cousin. A distinct feature is that the ears of Asian lions are always visible, while those of African male lions tend to be covered by the longer manes. (You can verify this by checking Alexander's lion mosaic.) Of African lions an approximate 30,000 still roam in the wild.

    MD: The lion is still a very important Macedonian symbol, Macedonia is probably the only country which has the right to really have the lion as a symbol, because they actually lived here and Alexander the Great was often portrayed with a Lion on his head.

    [MD Network]

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    ANTONIO INVITES DORA


    National.

    Macedonian Foreign Minister Antonio Miloshoski invited his Greek counterpart Dora Bakoyannis to pay visit to Macedonia and expressed readiness to return the visit.

    "I completely agree with my counterpart Bakoyannis that Macedonia and Greece are two neighboring countries and we would be pleased to host a meeting with her and talk about cooperation in all fields, especially economy", Miloshoski said today in Bitola, following Bakoyannis furious reaction on US's support to Macedonia.

    Miloshoski emphasized Macedonia's readiness to boost bilateral relations as well as to directly exchange opinions on all disagreements between the states, which Greece revamps before the pending elections, Makfax's correspondent reported.

    Regarding the denial of the Macedonian nation by the leader of the Bulgarian VMRO BND, Krasimir Karakachanov, Miloshoski said that a politician with lack of political ideas is in question.

    "Those who have problems with existence of other nations, actually have problems with themselves. Since they lack fresh political ideas to come forward at the political market, they resort to such provocations in order to survive at the political scene", Miloshoski said.

    Commenting the issue of demarcation of border with Serbia, Minister Miloshoski said that one more segment is missing to close that issue.

    "A small part of the border line at Cupino Brdo locality remains disputable as the inhabitants have unsolved property ownership issues. Nonetheless, we will work out a flexible solution for those who own property on both sides of the border, for example they would be able to cross the border with minimum checks. In this manner we will be able to wrap up the demarcation of the border with the Republic of Serbia", Miloshoski said.

    Macedonian Foreign Minister unveiled plans for opening of a new border crossing with Serbia near the village of Ogud in 2008. The crossing would be of a local character aimed at increased human and goods flow between the states.

    MD: We'll see if she comes, if she is not angry :)

    [MakFax]

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    FIFA AND UEFA THREATEN TO SUSPEND MACEDONIA


    Sports.

    FIFA and UEFA have threatened to suspend the Macedonian football federation unless the government ends its "repeated interference in football."

    In a joint statement issued on Friday, the sport's world and European governing bodies said it was reacting to reported attempts to overthrow the Macedonian football federation's current president.

    "FIFA and UEFA have been informed that on 14 April 2007 a small number of football delegates held a meeting in order to discuss the replacement of the current and duly elected president ... Haralampie Hadziristeski," the statement said.

    "The two governing bodies wish to underline that such meetings are not in compliance with the Macedonian association's statutes and therefore any decisions or actions taken would not be recognized either on a national or international level."

    The statement warned that "such illegal actions ... may therefore lead to the suspension of the Football Federation of Macedonia and a consequent ban on participation in any international competition."

    FIFA and UEFA issued a similar warning last month following a meeting between the organizations' presidents Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini and delegates from Macedonia, but did not on that occasion explicitly mention the threat of suspension.

    MD: It's better for the Macedonian football to get these current FFM people replaced by fresh new ones. FIFA and UEFA probably have some "business" with these men too.

    [MakFax]

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    Friday, April 20, 2007

    MASSIVE EXTINCTION OF WHITE HEAD EAGLES


    National.

    The Macedonian rare avian species white-head eagle is in grave danger of total extinction, after 16 dead birds have been found Wednesday and Thursday in Mariovo region.

    The members of the hunting society "Kajmakchalan" had found ten dead birds yesterday, while the organizations working for protection of these rare birds found another six today, Makfax's correspondent reported.

    The latest massive deaths cut the number of this species by a half, as the latest survey showed that as many as 40 of white-head eagles existed in Macedonia. It is believed that the found vultures have been killed by a poison used by the live-stock breeders for predatory wild animals.

    Bitola Police, as well as the Environment Ministry and the Macedonian Environment Association have dispatched teams at the site for inspection. Dimce Rolevski, coordinator of the project for vultures protection with the Environment Ministry, said that the cause of deaths will be determined by DNA analysis.

    MD: Action is needed! Macedonia should finally do something to protect the wildlife, otherwise, the pastrmka, lynx, bears and these eagles will be history soon

    [MakFax]

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    DAYS OF MACEDONIAN CULTURE IN BARI, ITALIA


    Culture.

    An exhibition of 40 works by Macedonian four modern painters: Sergej Andreevski, Argjent Karvi, Aleksandar Ivanovski-Karadare and Nevzet Bejtuli-Kica was opened at the grand Historical Centre of the Italian City of Bari yesterday. The show is marking the start of presentation of the Macedonian culture in Italy, i.e. in the region of Puglia within the Days of Macedonian Culture organized by the Macedonian Ministry of Culture and the regional Ministry for the Mediterranean, for the region of Puglia. The event runs through 24th April.

    Macedonian Minister of Culture Arifhikmet Xhemali and his host, Minister Sylvia Godelli will discuss this afternoon intensification of cultural cooperation.
    Macedonian cultural presentation in Bari also includes two concerts of Synthesis on Friday and Sunday; and performance of opera singer Vesna Ginovska-Ilkova.

    MD: That's perfect! Excellent presentation of our country and let's hope they will like Synthesis!

    [Culture.in.mk]

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    BAN IS PROVOCATION TO GOOD NEIGHBOURLY RELATIONS


    Regional.

    The banned gathering of Macedonians at Jane Sandanski's tomb is unnecessary provocation to good neighborly relations," foreign ministry's spokesperson told Makfax news agency.

    The foreign ministry's spokeswoman Shpresa Jusufi commented the decision of the Blagoevgrad's district governor to ban the Macedonians in Bulgaria pay their respect to Jane Sandanski.

    "We are disappointed with such move showing that somobody prefers to invest in mortgages of the past and create unnecessary provocations," Jusufi said.

    The ban on Macedonians' gathering at Rozen monastery (Bulgaria) next Sunday to honor Macedonian revolutionary Jane Sandanski, came after the decision of the mayor of the Sandanski city to allow the Macedonians pay their respect at Sandanski's tomb on the occasion of the aniversary of his death.

    "We welcome the decision by Sandanski mayor and we assume it contributes to good neighborly relations, and it is in line with the official policies of the two countries. The joint observance by official delegations of foreign ministries of the two countries wil be a genuine confirmation of good neighborly relations," Jusufi added.

    As announced behorehand, deputy foreign ministers of Macedonia and Bulgaria will bow before the Jane Sandaski's tomb on 24 April, two days after the observance, which Macedonians in Bulgaria intend to attend despite the ban.

    MD: OMO Ilinden stated they will visit the monastery anyway, despite the ban

    [MakFax]

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    MONTHLY INCOME IN BULGARIA AND MACEDONIA LOWEST IN REGION


    National.

    The Bulgarian and Macedonian monthly incomes were among the lowest in the Balkan region, Skopje officials said.

    Macedonia’s average reached 255 euro. According to local media, the figure was higher only than the payment that workers in Bulgaria got.

    Though Bulgaria became EU member state in the beginning of 2007, its average is only 180 euro, Macedonian television channel A1 reported.

    According to the latest data of the Macedonian Statistical Institute monthly income has increased from January 2006 to January 2007.

    MD: And Bulgaria is in the EU....

    [Sofia Echo]

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    Thursday, April 19, 2007

    COUNCIL OF EUROPE TO DISCUSS MACEDONIANS' STATUS IN GREECE


    National.

    A motion for a resolution stating violation of human rights of the Macedonians living in northern Greece has been initiated in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) by 15 PACE members, including the former President, Lord Russell-Johnston.

    The draft-resolution, signed by representatives of nine countries and all political groups in PACE, led by the Dutch Erik Jurgens, calls for elaborating a report on violation of human rights of the Macedonian ethnic minority in northern Greece and providing opportunity to its representatives to give testimonies before PACE.

    The explanation of the initiative says "the Greek state refuses to recognize the existence of the Macedonian ethnic and minority and its language within country's borders", Radio Deutsche Welle reported.

    The document underlines that the Greek authorities are continuing with systematical exclusion of Macedonians from the political life, refusing even to reply to the letters sent by this minority.

    The Greek state does not recognize the Macedonian language either, thus depriving Macedonians to attend classes on their mother-tongue within the Greek educational system, the draft-resolution says.

    The signatories also raised concerns about the fact that even ten years after positive ruling of the European Court of Human Rights, the Macedonian Culture Home in Lerin (Florina) has not been registered yet.

    The same goes for the bill providing for return of Greek citizenship and property to the refugees of Macedonian ethnic origin from the Greek Civil War.

    PACE members pointed out at Greece's refusal to ratify the framework convention on protection of national minorities, reminding that Athens is bound to respect the obligations stemming from CE conventions, but also the binding documents of UN and OSCE.

    The PACE Bureau is responsible for approving the decision on elaborating a report on the situation of the Macedonian minority in Greece, Deutsche Welle reported.

    MD: It's about time, and let's hope something can be done to improve their status!

    [MakFax]

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    HANDING OVER PROTEST NOTE TO DEL PONTE


    National.

    Macedonia will hand over a note of protest if The Hague Tribunal's prosecution, led by chief prosecutor Carla Del Ponte, used the term "Macedonian speaking Slavic majority", government's spokesman said.

    At today's press conference in Skopje, government's spokesman Ivica Bocevski commented the reports that the insulting term had been allegedly used at the launch of the trial of Ljube Boskoski and Johan Tarculovski in The Hague Tribunal.

    Bocevski said the Macedonian foreign ministry took all necessary activities to check the transcript of the opening statement by tribunal's prosecution.

    If we establish authenticity of the term used "Macedonian speaking Slavic Majority", Macedonian embassy in The Hague will hand over a note of protest to tribunal's prosecution, Bocevski said.

    He added that the Macedonian government won't comment the indictment against two Macedonian citizens Ljube Boskoski and Johan Tarculovski, which was read out last Monday.

    MD: That's right! We all know the famous slogan as seen in Macedonian protests; "We are not Slavs, Greeks or Bulgarians. We are Macedonians!

    [MakFax]

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    GAZPROM ENTERS MACEDONIA


    National.

    The Russian oil giant Gazprom comes onto the Macedonian market, the Macedonian Vecer newspaper writes.

    The Russian company will be included in the implementation of the contract between the Macedonian and Russian governments on paying Russian clearing debt to Macedonia. According to the contract, which is due to be signed soon, the Russian party has to participate in the construction of four gas pipe projects in the country.

    Gazprom will join the projects as a partner, officials from the Russian embassy in Skopje and state officials confirmed for the Vecer.

    MD: First Lukoil now Gazprom, Welcome to Macedonia! ;)

    [Focus]

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    Wednesday, April 18, 2007

    NADA PRLJA IN LONDON


    Culture.

    Macedonian artist Nada Prlja is presenting a new project within the Reunion project held in the premises of the Austrian Cultural Forum in London on 1-14 April. The events at the Austrian Cultural Forum consist of an exhibition and discussion on politically engaged art. They will try to answer the question on the context of political art, what happens if art is not “easily” accepted (censure in political art), and most of the discussion will focus on elaboration on the topic how and why political art is financially supported.

    At the Austrian Forum Gallery, Prlja is first presenting her new project, “Give to Take” where she is trying to sell (in the true meaning of the word) real estates located in the region of the Balkans by using art systems. Prlja is enabled to sell apartments without commission (that ranges between 3 and 4 percent of the total value of the property in Britain). By this act she sets an opportunity for existence of alternative economy with real estates markets in Britain and in the Balkan region countries being destabilized.

    MD: That's wonderful! Bravo!

    [Culture.in.mk]

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    SIGHTS OF MACEDONIA

    National.



    Dragan Dautovski, professor at the Faculty of Musical Arts, displays the 6000 year-old ocarina (globular flute), in Skopje, 12 April 2007. Dautovski played four special compositions with this ancient instrument discovered at an excavation site near the small town of Chashka, 80 km southwest from the capitol of Skopje. AFP PHOTO ROBERT ATANASOVSKI (Photo credit should read ROBERT ATANASOVSKI/AFP/Getty Images)


    [MD Network]

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    BRAVO TO MKMUZIKA


    MD Network

    Our friends and partners of MKMuzika.com have reached a fantastic milestone this week! They've managed to collect 5000 Macedonian songs on their website!

    We and many other Macedonians around the world are very glad with such a website and we hope they have a bright future ahead! On the way to 10.000!

    MD: Bravo! What else to say then; Nice job!!

  • [MkMuzika]


  • [MD Network]

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    SLOVENIA TO TRAIN MACEDONIAN BUSINESSMEN HOW TO USE EU FUNDS


    National.

    Training courses, which will assist Macedonia's business people outline projects funded by the EU, will take place in Ljubljana on 9-12 May.

    The training was organized by the Economic Chamber of Macedonia in cooperation with the Ljubljana-based Slovenian-Macedonian Friendship Association, Slovenia's Agency on Foreign Investments and the Municipality of Gratz in Austria.

    Beside the educational programme, there will be direct meetings with Slovenian and Austrian companies. The companies will present their practical experience and guidelines as to the elaboration of projects applying for EU funding.

    The training aims to follow success experience of Slovenia given the fact that through realization of EU-funded projects, Slovenia fostered the overall economic growth, which contributed to country's accession to EU.

    MD: Good initiative, the Slovenians did very smart in strengthening their country

    [MakFax]

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    Tuesday, April 17, 2007

    ALEKSANDAR & MARIJA, MOST POPULAR NAMES IN MACEDONIA


    National.

    The names, Aleksandar and Marija are the most popular in Macedonia seen in a result of a research done by the bureau for statistics. Aleksandar (Alexander) is not so surprisingly so popular, because of the most famous Macedonian ever, Alexander the Great.

    Macedonia has 23.942 people who have the name, Aleksandar and 21.031 with the name Marija.

    The top 10 female names are: Marija, Biljana, Elena, Vesna, Snezana, Violeta, Aleksandra, Suzana, Ljubica and Katerina, while the top 10 male names are: Aleksandar, Zoran, Nikola, Goran, Dragan, Dejan, Ilija, Igor, Petar and Ljupco.

    Aleksandar and Marija are widely the most popular names in all regions of Macedonia, except the northern region, where Bekim and Fatime are the most popular.

    In the research there were also the names which were lost in the recent years, like Kiro, Krstana, Dimko, Ristana, Mome, Svetlanka, Dimco, Blaguna, Rubinco and Spasa.
    While names like, Julet, Bleon, Nazar, Blenk, Adelisa, Erjon and Bleona are seen more often lately.

    MD:The best way to show your respect of our greatest man in history, by naming your child after him! It's also nice to see that family's stick to Macedonian names instead of introducing English names for example, like in many other European countries.

    [On.net.mk]

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    MACEDONIA'S SPECIAL MOVIE EFFECTS


    National.

    These days major film producers use so many effects in their movies that they have to outsource much of the work from places like Eastern Europe and the Balkans.

    The Republic of Macedonia is a nice place to shoot a movie, and there is no shortage of companies there whose sights are set on coaxing business out of Hollywood. They are not, however, so interested in touting the republic as a filming location.

    Instead, the scenery they are looking to sell comes directly out of a computer. So seamless are digitally generated effects these days that they are difficult for film producers to resist. The pixel is replacing the panorama, as faking it becomes cheaper and easier than the real thing.

    The increased demand means that media companies in developing countries like Macedonia are getting the chance to have a hand in Hollywood blockbusters. Film producers in the US are looking to outsource the more labour-intensive animation projects.

    One scene from The Aviator was filmed in a giant studio, and Macedonia's FX3X was given the job of converting the green backdrop into the harbour where Howard Hughes' Spruce Goose performed its maiden, and only, flight. Miso Ristov, visual FX supervisor at FX3X, told Click Online: "Basically everything was shot handheld or stuck on some cranes. First we had to track the footage and then blend with the background and make a seamless blend.

    "You have to do it manually, frame by frame, so we spent two and a half months for probably a couple of minutes of footage. "We worked 15 hours a day, maybe. No sleep, no seeing your girlfriend, no stuff like that."


    Buoyed by some initial successes, a number of companies are hoping to club together to tout Macedonia as a new media hub.

    But not all the country's talent is training at home. One rising star, Ana Nikolovska, is flying to the US on an animation scholarship. Her success abroad will no doubt fuel the enthusiasm at home for animation and special effects. She says: "There is a growing interest in 3D animation in Macedonia and it is becoming very popular, especially these last two years.

    Hollywood is fond of rags to riches stories, and the Republic of Macedonia may well fit the script. Many here hope that the country's enthusiasm for new media could make it a future player in the digital dream factory.

    MD: Cool, that's great, we never knew that!

    [BBC]

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    MD SONG OF THE WEEK

    MD Network





    "Zajdi, zajdi jasno sonce"
    The song where all the fuzz around Macedonia and the movie 300 is about!

    Any ideas for the next “Song of the Week”? Let us know!
    Mail to: songs@macedoniadaily.org


    [MD Network]

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    IMPROVEMENT IN MACEDONIA'S FIGHT AGAINT HUMAN TRAFFICKING


    National.

    Macedonia has shown progress in the fight against human trafficking during the past year, a US State Department report says. However, it adds, women and children continue to be brought into the country for purposes of sexual exploitation, and measures announced by the government have yet to be fully implemented.

    The findings came in the latest Country Report on Human Rights Practices, released last month by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labour. The document covers 2006.

    During the year, at least 30 trafficking-related cases were prosecuted, 100 individuals were indicted, and 56 were convicted and sentenced for trafficking, the report said. It noted that a number of high-profile cases against traffickers have been wrapped up, while others are in progress.

    Macedonia serves both as a transit and destination country for the trafficking of women and children, and less as a source country, the findings said. In particular, women and children from Albania, Bulgaria, Moldova and Romania are often transported via Macedonia on their way to Kosovo, Serbia and Western European countries.

    At least on paper, the Macedonian government has been seeking to wage a tougher fight. In March 2006, it adopted a national action plan and strategy for combating trafficking.

    A specific case mentioned in the report is that of Dilaver Bojku-Leku, the so-called "Balkan prostitution boss". In 2003, he was sentenced to four years and nine months in prison, but placed in an "open regime" facility with liberal leave policies, allowing him to potentially engage in witness intimidation while on leave.

    In June 2003, Bojku-Leku escaped from the prison, though weeks later he was arrested in Montenegro and sent back. Last month, the Appellate Court in Bitola decided to release Leku five months early, due to "good behaviour".

    MD: Well, it's about time! But we are not there yet, not even close. But a big compliment for this government for doing much against it!

    [SETimes]

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    Monday, April 16, 2007

    DAUTOVSKI TO PLAY 6000 YEAR OLD FLUTE


    Culture.

    A press conference yesterday in view with an upcoming concert of Dragan Dautovski Quarter revealed details about an antique instrument, the ball flute – okarina which Dragan Dautovski will play at the Universal Hall on 19th April.

    This is about a perfectly preserved 5000-6000-year-old music instrument dating back to the Neolithic found at the Mramor site outside the village of Caska, Veles Area in 1989.

    “I am not as excited about the concert and meeting everybody as I am with the honour to play first the 6000-year-old unique and rare instrument. I have been asked what I am going to play in the concert, and I just say we are going to play music I bring inside and music the okarina has hidden in itself for so long,” Dautovski said in the press conference.

    The concert will be divided in three parts and the ball flute will be presented in sound and image in the third. Dautovski said the flute makes three tones and he has come to 16 tones with a methodological approach.
    This is the unique instrument of such kind found in Europe. Mrs. Trajanka Jovcevska, Custodian Advisor at the Veles National Museum said this would be the first step in presentation of the instrument and returning it to a museum case is the last they are considering. Further world promotion of the instrument will be under the name “Flute of Macedonia”.

    MD: Wow, thats really cool, we wonder what kind of voice it has.

    [Culture.in.mk]

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    BBC: MACEDONIA PLEASED WITH VISA AGREEMENT


    National.

    Macedonia believes it has hammered out "an excellent" deal with the European Commission over visa facilitation, BBC Macedonian news said.

    Citing a member of Macedonia's negotiation team, BBC Macedonia says the country secured visa facilitation for some 20 categories of citizens. Macedonia, unlike the other countries in the region, has secured simplification of document requirements for certain groups of travelers to get multiple entry visas.

    Students, children under 6, journalists, business people, liberal professors and event tourists will benefit from the visa facilitation agreement, signed Thursday in Brussels, Macedonian's negotiation team said.

    According to Macedonia's chief negotiator Agnesa Rusi, one of the benefits of the agreement is the possibility that visa applicants can formally complain if they are not being issued entry visas for reasons not in compliance with the agreement.

    BBC Macedonia cites sources in the European Commission as saying the most difficult and unsuccessful part of the negotiations was the rejection of Macedonia's proposal to add the Greek visas into Schengen visa-free group. The move turned futile, as Greeks made it clear that they don't recognize the Macedonian passports.

    According to evolution cause of the agreement initialed by Macedonia and the EU, the EU and Macedonia can negotiate the possibility of lifting visa requirements for Macedonian citizens after the launch of negotiations on Macedonia's accession into EU.

    Macedonia's negotiation team in Brussels and the EU also initialed readmission agreement, a move that was closely connected with visa facilitation.

    MD: Well, time has to tell....

    [MakFax]

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    XTRA INFO, ELENA VELEVSKA & ORCE STEVKOVSKI CONCERT


    Diaspora.

    The final concert will take place on Saturday 5th of May 2007 at "Grand
    Neret Receptions" Epping, Melbourne, Victoria at 7.30pm.

    Tickets at the door: $20 per person.

    MD: Thanks to our MD Spotter, Aleks for this one!

    [MD Network]

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    Sunday, April 15, 2007

    HOLLYWOOD STEALS OF MACEDONIA PART IV


    National.

    After informing you about the Macedonian song, "Zajdi, zajdi jasno sonce" in the new movie 300, we also informed you about Aleksandar Sarievski's grandson that he would maybe file a lawsuit against them. Now it seems he will.

    The family of late Macedonian folk singer Aleksandar Sarievski has appealed to copyright authorities over what it claims is the stolen closing score to Hollywood's latest blockbuster "300".

    Sarievski's grandson, also called Aleksandar, told media the last piece heard in the film is in fact Macedonia's folk classic "Go Down, Go Down Clear Sun", penned by his grandfather.

    "We'll wait to see the results of the investigation by the Association For Author Rights," he was quoted as saying in Friday's Dnevnik daily.

    "If we don't reach agreement, we'll explore other measures."

    The Zack Snyder-directed portrayal of the 480 B.C. battle between the Persian army and a band of Spartans has already incurred the wrath of Iran.

    Tehran denounced the movie as a Western bid to vilify Iranians, depicting their ancestors as ruthless but repeatedly outsmarted by the Athenians. The film has yet to open in Macedonian cinemas but pirate copies are widely available.

    MD: Good move! The right thing to do! Read the previous articles on this topic at the links below, and also a response of the soundtrack author, Tyler Bates on the letter we've sent to him.

  • [Tyler Bates answer]
  • [Article I]
  • [Article II]


  • [Reuters]

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    Saturday, April 14, 2007

    AVANTGARDE, QUALITY MAGAZINE IN MACEDONIA


    Entertainment.

    As of this week a brand new magazine can be bought at every sales places around Macedonia. "Avantgarde" is a monthly magazine developed by group of young people who decided to create a Macedonian magazine which will be equal in quality to the popular world magazines.

    "Avantgarde" is there for the people who want to be in touch with the current happenings and trends in the field of music, fashion, culture, technology, art, sports and who have a different look on the life they are living.

    MD: This is great, Macedonia really needed such a magazine, instead of all the amateur, boring current ones. In the first issue of "Avantgarde" there is a section about Marga, you may remember her of the interview we had with her.

  • [MD Interview with Marga]


  • [Zazabava]

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    REFEREE STEALS THE BALL


    Sports.

    After the end of the match from the Third Macedonian league between Astibo from Stip and Philip II from Vinica, the ball disappeared. The hosts have immediately started searching for the ball. They look for it at the guests dressing room but they weren't able to find it there. Than they've queried that some of the referees stole the ball and have called the police.

    The police than spotted the car of one of the assistant referees who was on the way back to home ans stopped him. After they've searched his car they found the ball with which the match was played in his sports bag. The ball worth about 100 euros was returned to the football club Astibo and luckily for the referee the police didn't pressed charges for his act.

    MD: Hilarious! Such things can happen "Only in Macedonia" as macedonianfootball.com said.

    [MacedonianFootball.com]

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    BOY GEORGE IN MACEDONIA PART II

    National.

    Recently we published an article about Boy George his visit to Macedonia for veligden last week , the visiting crowd was not as big as expected, it was still a succesfull performance though.

    Here are some pictures of the event:


    Provided by ZaZabava


    MD: Let's attract more famous artists in the future! Boy George even got a new friend, Tamara Todevska!

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    Friday, April 13, 2007

    KAROLINA WINS POLL


    Entertainment.

    After ranking high in the Esctoday.com Eurovision songcontest poll, Karolina actually won another poll on the "All kinds of everything" Eurovision website.

    This year "All Kinds Of Everything" sought the opinions of visitors to the site, by conducting a poll on all 42 competing songs competing in the 2007 Eurovision Song Contest in Helsinki. Visitors were asked their opinion on the entries at random, and almost fifty thousand votes were cast, making it one of the biggest polls on the internet.

    People could rate songs on a ten scale of 10 ("the best") to 1 ("the worst"), with eight rating points inbetween. As songs gained received over a thousand ratings, they were removed from the poll and other entries added.

    The adjustment made very little different to the overall ranking, and left the leading entries unchanged. The clear winner of "Vote 07" and the favourite entry of visitors to "All Kinds Of Everything" is the Macedonian entry "Mojot Svet" (My World) sung by Karolina Goceva.

    Second place does to Cyprus and Evridki with "Comme Ci Comme Ca" which was leading until the last couple of days of voting, while the Dutch entry completes a hatrick for female solosists and for songs competing in the semi-final, with Edsilia Rombley "On Top Of The World". Remarkably the highest placed automatic finalist is the Bosnian entry, which finished down in 8th place.

    MD: That's great! Let's hope her song will be so succesfull at the official contest too!

  • [Helsinki poll 2007]
  • [Karolina - Mojot svet]


  • [All kinds of everything]

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    ZORAN POPOVSKI EXHIBITS IN ITALY


    Culture.

    An exhibition by the Macedonian artist Zoran Poposki and the Italian artist Michele D'Alterio opens to the public at the gallery "Il Ramo D'Oro" in Naples, Italy, on 14 April 2007. The exhibition is conceived as a confrontation of two expressive experiences, the abstract and expressionist one of Poposki and the surrealist and conceptual one of D'Alterio. Poposki exhibits large-scale digital prints that elaborate the issue of identity and the relationship between images and language/text/narratives.

    In the exhibition catalogue, the Italian critic Giorgio Agnisola states that: "The Macedonian artist unleashes onto the canvas a gestural and abstract energy, tied to the evocation of color but also to the expressive techniques of the sign, in a multilayered construct out of which often emerge figurative forms, profiles that seem to be creating a sort of inner scenography. Still, in the creative stage it is exorcised through rational interventions, phrases, signs, thoughts, that the artist applies to the painting, provocatively, with the intent to demystify. That results in a visible ambiguity that evokes in the spectator a conscious and intensive analysis of the word and the image, in a space which is emotionally engaging while at the same time problematic, unknown in a way, yet encouraging."

    Zoran Poposki (b. 1974) has exhibited in New York, Paris, Berlin, and Macedonia. He has also attended residency programs in the US and in Austria.
    The exhibition in Naples will be open until 28 April.

    MD: Bravo, have a look at his website below

  • [Zoran Popovski]


  • [Culture.in.mk]

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    February 27 2010:
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