No. 30 Macedonian Matters
Macedonian delegation visits Bulgaria, Hungarian loan actually from China, and more.
This is Macedonian Matters. I’m Aleksej Demjanski.
This is your weekly curated news from North Macedonia.
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The Matters
Italy says Russia or China could gain influence in Western Balkans if EU dream fails (AP News)
“Italy’s foreign minister Tuesday voiced strong support for Western Balkan countries’ European Union accession bids, saying that otherwise the region could swing towards Russia or China.
Speaking during a visit to North Macedonia, Antonio Tajani said the bloc should “lend a hand to those peoples who want to be with us Europeans.”
Tajani said Italy is “working and will work for North Macedonia to be an effective member of the European Union as soon as possible.”
Mucunski and Albares reaffirm Spain’s support for Euro-integrations, highlight necessity of accelerating process (MIA)
“As part of his visit to Spain, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Timcho Mucunski held a meeting Wednesday with his Spanish counterpart José Manuel Albares, during which Spain’s support for the Euro-integrations was reaffirmed, with Albares stressing the necessity of accelerating the country’s Euro-integrations process, the Foreign Ministry said in a press release.”
Trump Company CEO’s Unexplained Meeting With Balkans Leader Raises Specter of New Conflict (ProPublica)
“Devin Nunes, the former congressman who runs the company behind Truth Social, traveled to North Macedonia as former President Trump vies to once again shape U.S. foreign policy.”
Bulgarian Ambassador to be summoned over Siljanovska-Davkova's photo with Radev in front of Bulgarian flag: MFA (MIA)
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade has said it would summon the Bulgarian Ambassador to the country, Zhelyazko Radukov, for talks on Monday over the photograph of President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova and Bulgarian President Rumen Radev in front of the Bulgarian flag taken during their meeting Friday in Sofia.”
Siljanovska-Davkova after meeting with Radev: Solution within reach if we respect and listen to each other (MIA)
“I am convinced that today’s conversation in a pleasant, friendly debate-like atmosphere will bear fruit. I can’t say that this will happen tomorrow, but what matters is to begin, President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova said Friday in a statement after her meeting with Bulgarian President Rumen Radev.”
Radev: Sofia expects expressed desire for dialogue and understanding to become consistent policy of Gov’t in Skopje (MIA)
“Bulgaria expects the expressed desire for dialogue and understanding by President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova to become a consistent policy of the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia, this, according to Bulgarian President Rumen Radev’s Office is the position he conveyed to Siljanovska-Davkova at Friday’s meeting in Sofia.”
Glavchev: Bulgaria not to renegotiate North Macedonia agreement criteria (MIA)
“Bulgaria will not renegotiate criteria from the agreement with the Republic of North Macedonia, said Bulgarian caretaker PM Dimitar Glavchev on Friday.
‘There is nothing to negotiate. They say they will not negotiate with a caretaker government but I would say we are not willing to negotiate because there is nothing to negotiate about. There is a common European position, they should negotiate with the European Union. I said during the last European Council that the Republic of North Macedonia has failed to abide by its tasks, a position that Greece has echoed regarding the Prespa Agreement. Therefore, we voiced our position at the highest possible level,’ said Glavchev, as reported by bnr.bg.”
CC Co-leader Petkov: No Concessions Should Be Made Regarding French Proposal Concerning Skopje’s EU Accession Negotiations (BTA)
“Continue the Change (CC) co-leader Kiril Petkov said that no concessions should be made regarding the provisions included in the so-called French proposal for the Republic of North Macedonia. Speaking to journalists, he responded to a question on how he would comment on the new attempt of the Republic of North Macedonia to request the start of EU membership negotiations before it has fulfilled the conditions for amending its constitution…
‘We have an absolutely clear agreement with the EU. This is no longer just between the Republic of North Macedonia and Bulgaria, but between the Republic of North Macedonia and Europe, it is clear, it has its criteria, I don't think it should be touched in any way,’ Petkov said.”
The government elected a new composition of the Commission on Historical Affairs with Bulgaria – Vancho Gjorgiev was appointed chairman (360 Degrees - Macedonian)
“The government in a closed session elected the new composition of the Commission on Historical Affairs with Bulgaria, multiple media reported. According to them, Vancho Georgiev, a professor at the Faculty of History in Skopje, was appointed president. The new commission will not include incumbent President Dragi Georgiev, whom Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski accused of not sufficiently protecting national interests.”
The historical commission was misused for political and partisan purposes in both countries, former members of the Macedonian team say (360 Degrees - Macedonian)
“Two former members of the Macedonian team from the Joint Multidisciplinary Expert Commission on Historical and Educational Issues between North Macedonia and Bulgaria reacted through a written statement to the latest changes in the composition of the Commission.
‘…some politicians, intellectuals, and especially historians, for lucrative and political reasons, but also out of ignorance, have accepted the approach of the Bulgarian side and in an unsubstantiated manner created the impression that the Commission is discussing national identity and making a revision of Macedonian historiography.’
They point out that in this way Macedonian society has fallen into the trap of, as they say, nationalists in Bulgaria and their intention to impose discussion of these issues through the prism of political interests.”
How Mobile Investigative Newsrooms Can Restore Citizens’ Faith in Journalism (GIJN)
“When notorious local politician and businessman Nefi Useini began to illegally build a pizzeria near an ancient plane tree and assaulted a building inspector visiting the site, a pioneering group of Macedonian journalists decided it was time to act.
The entire 10-strong team of reporters, editors, and video producers from the Investigative Reporting Lab (IRL), an OCCRP member center normally based in the capital Skopje, decamped to Ohrid for two weeks and set up what they called a “mobile newsroom.”
They rented office space, held meetings with residents, and began to compile evidence about corruption taking place at the hands of local officials.”
Hungary acted as front for China in extending €500mn loan to North Macedonia (bne IntelliNews)
“Hungary was acting as an intermediary for China in providing the new North Macedonia government with a €500mn loan, which comes from the €1bn secured by Budapest from a consortium of Chinese banks earlier this year, investigative news site Vsquare confirmed on September 12… The Hungarian government secured and fully drew €1bn from a consortium including the Export-Import Bank of China and the Hungarian branch of the Bank of China in the spring.”
North Macedonia, digitalisation against the grey economy (OBCT)
“At least 20% of the economy of North Macedonia develops in the “grey zone”, thus depriving the country and the national budget of resources essential for development. The government of Skopje has announced that it wants to combat the phenomenon through more effective digitalisation".”
Mexhiti: North Macedonia expected to end coal use by 2050 (MIA)
“North Macedonia is preparing to end the use of coal for its energy needs by 2050 at the latest, and to comply with the European Union’s deadlines for a transition to renewable sources of energy, said First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Environment and Physical Planning Izet Mexhiti at the 9th Central and Eastern European Energy Security Conference hosted by the Global Energy Center of the Atlantic Council in Washington.”
Gjorgjievski calls for limits on power of mayors, says he would be a good Skopje mayor (MIA)
“The Association of Local Self-Government Units (ZELS) will work on amendments to the Law on Local Self-Government to introduce a mechanism for a change of mayor. The power of mayors is too great, and it should be limited, said the head of ZELS and Mayor of the Municipality of Kisela Voda, Orce Gjorgjievski, in an interview for Radio Free Europe.”
1 in 9 infant deaths in North Macedonia linked to air pollution (UNICEF)
“n the lead up to International Day of Clean Air, UNICEF in Europe and Central Asia released a new policy brief highlighting that more than 5,480 infants in 23 countries and territories across Europe and Central Asia died from causes linked to air pollution in 2021. In North Macedonia, infant deaths linked to air pollution accounted for 11.6 per cent or 1 in 9 of all deaths of children under one.”
Meet the woman fighting for critical art in North Macedonia (DW News - Video)
“Iskra Geshoska is a key figure in the art scene in North Macedonia's capital, creating spaces and platforms for independent artists to meet and collaborate.”
The Wines Of North Macedonia, Explained By An Expert (Forbes)
“The Balkans is sometimes called The Wine Peninsula. In its center is North Macedonia, a small country with big wines, not least from the famous vranec grape… It’s a bit like malbec from Argentina or sauvignon blanc from New Zealand. They have this famous grape variety that is almost the identity of the country, but when you get interested and start digging deeper, you realise that there are many more things to discover. It’s the same with vranec (or vranac) and North Macedonia. It is the emblematic grape variety of this Balkan country.”
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