Makedonien|Mazedonien News

Angesichts des Fachkräftemangels hat das Land den Systemwechsel gewagt und wirbt mit einer "Rot-Weiß-Rot-Karte" um Hochqualifizierte aus Nicht-EU-Staaten Seit sechs Monaten werden Zuwanderer über Punkte wie Beruf, Jobzusagen und Sprachkenntnisse ausgewählt Der Andrang hält sich allerdings stark in Grenzen, denn die Kriterien sind hart und Ausländer wenig willkommen Das muss er sein, der perfekte Ausländer: So jung, so freundlich, die Haare kurz, das Hemd gebügelt, das Deutsch fast fehlerlos, und in der Tasche den Master in internationaler Unternehmensberatung sowie einen Job bei Siemens. Stefan Lazarevski, 25 Jahre alt, Mazedonier , ist ein Zuwanderer, wie ihn sich das Wiener Innenministerium nicht schöner hätte erträumen können. Eines jener Talente, um die man sich weltweit bemüht und deretwegen jetzt auch Österreich ein wenig über seinen Schatten gesprungen ist. Stefan Lazarevski gehört zu den allerersten Inhabern einer "Rot-Weiß-Rot-Karte". Das nach den Farben d...

Citizens of three Balkan countries now have access to mutual free movement with biometric ID cards. The foreign ministers of Macedonia and Albania, Nikola Poposki and Edmond Haxhinasto, attend the December 14th meeting where they, along with Montenegrin counterpart Milan Rocen, signed the free movement agreement. [Reuters] At the meeting of the Adriatic Charter Countries in Tirana on December 14th, Albania, Macedonia and Montenegro signed an agreement allowing citizens of all three countries to travel with a passport and biometric ID cards to and from the respective countries. Albanian Foreign Minister Edmond Haxhinasto said these agreements will facilitate and encourage the movement of people, strengthen ties and co-operation among the countries, while creating a new regional climate in preparation for full EU integration. "It is a very important development because we are taking actual steps in creating a free movement zone in the region, as an expression of ...

The export of goods from Kosovo to Macedonia has almost doubled in 2011.  According to the State Statistical Office in Skopje, the import of goods from Kosovo to Macedonia's market this year has doubled compared to 2010. Until a year ago, the value of imports was 17 million dollars for the January-October period, this year the figure has reached 30 million dollars by October.  The trade exchange between the two countries moved positively since the Kosovo Government blocked Serbian products, which has turned Macedonia into one of the countries with the highest exports to Kosovo. The Macedonian exports to Kosovo have reached a record 453 million dollars for 2011 or about 92 million dollars more than in 2010.  The Ministries of Economy of Macedonia and Kosovo foresee a continuous growth of these trends, creating a real boom of cooperation and commercial exchange through tax and customs incentives.

Macedonia's first cathode copper was produced Friday by the plant for processing and production of cathode copper in the Radovis-based Bucim mine. The Russian company "Solvej", which manages the mine, has invested 11 million euros. Vice PM and Minister of Finance attended the start of production. "The new cathode copper plant will improve Macedonia's production, industry as well as export. Nearly 17 million dollars is going to be the total annual outcome of the plant's production. 65 new jobs have been opened, which speaks volumes about the quality and development of Bucim mine," Stavreski said. He said investments were the best tools in reducing unemployment, adding that he expected other companies to continue investing. "The decrease of unemployment rate by 0.5% - which has been announced by the State Statistical Office - is moderate but significant because it occurs when the world is hit by a serious economic crisis," the minister stated....

In 2011 Macedonia has been successful in overcoming challenges and although its road to the strategic goals - the EU, NATO membership - remained blocked, there is no room for discouragement, as the country enters 2012 certain in its ability to turn these aspirations into reality, President Gjorge Ivanov says in his New Year's message to citizens. "In 2011 Macedonia has successfully dealt with various challenges. We have had many reasons for joy. We have advanced in terms of economy, gone through yet another elections, which enriched our experience as a developed European democracy. We have justified the assessments of our progress. However, the road to our strategic goals remained blocked. But there is no room for discouragement. We shall succeed, we shall realize our goals Macedonia to become NATO and EU member," Ivanov says. The road for Macedonia's recognition has never been easy, but that's what make us strong, he says. "Dealing with difficulties has ...

Macedonian and Serbian interior ministers, Gordana Jankuloska and Ivica Dacic, signed Tuesday in Nis a protocol of cooperation between the two ministries ensuring security ahead of the European Handball Championship, which will be hosted by Serbia in 2012. The protocol regulates the overall cooperation and behavior of police officers, who will be staying in Nis, Serbia during the tournament. "The protocol primarily refers to preventive actions in relation to the movement of fan groups, how spectators behave and possible hand over of persons disturbing public order and peace," minister Jankuloska stated. She voiced hope that Macedonian handball fans would root for the national team in a sporting manner. Ministers Jankuloska and Dacic at their joint press conference said that 3.000 block tickets for matches of the Macedonian national team had been distributed in Macedonia. Jankuloska and Dacic concluded that the protocol signed today was affirming first and foremost the...

The reforms Macedonia has implemented during the Membership Action Plan and its commitment to NATO-led operations clearly show that the country's accession to the Alliance is more than deserved, reads a joint declaration of a meeting of the US-Adriatic Charter Partnership members, taking place Wednesday in Tirana.  We have notified the judgment of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and reaffirm our support of Macedonia's full-fledged NATO membership, reads the document, adopted by Albania, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Bosnia&Herzegovina and the United States. FM Nikola Poposki, who represented Macedonia at today's meeting, said it offered opportunity for sharing opinions on forthcoming NATO Summit in Chicago, where vital decisions should be made in regard to the Alliance and further integration of Balkan countries, which are not yet part of this organization.  The gathering also reviewed the ongoing activities within the NATO-led security missi...

Die luxemburgische Nationalmannschaft wird ihr erstes Testländerspiel des neuen Jahres am 29. Februar gegen Mazedonien bestreiten. Goran Pandev (29) ist Dreh- und Angelpunkt im Spiel der Mazedonier. (Bild: AFP / Giuseppe Cacace) Die FLF könnte sich vorstellen, die Partie auf dem Holleschberg in Hesperingen auszutragen. Ob dies tatsächlich der Fall sein wird, hängt von der Sportvermarktungsagentur Sportfive ab, die die Fernsehrechte besitzt. Die mazedonische Nationalmannschaft belegt momentan den 103. Platz in der FIFA-Weltrangliste. Stars der Mannschaft vom Balkan sind Offensiv-Allrounder Goran Pandev vom italienischen Champions-League-Teilnehmer SSC Neapel und Verteidiger Nikolce Noveski vom Bundesligisten FSV Mainz 05.

Die deutschen Wasserballer haben am zweiten Spieltag der Weltliga den ersten Sieg eingefahren. In Berlin setzte sich das Team von Bundestrainer Hagen Stamm mit 8:5 (1:0, 3:1, 2:3, 2:1) gegen Mazedonien durch. Zum Auftakt hatte die Auswahl des Deutschen Schwimm-Verbandes (DSV) 15:16 nach Fünfmeterwerfen gegen Europameister Kroatien verloren. "Wir haben heute nur unsere Pflichtübung erfüllt und hätten eigentlich um zwei bis drei Tore höher gewinnen müssen", sagte Stamm. Der Duisburger Paul Schüler war mit drei Treffern bester Werfer des deutschen Teams, das am Donnerstag mit einem Testspiel in Eindhoven gegen Gastgeber Niederlande das Jahr beschließt.

Serbien und Mazedonien sind befreundete Länder, welche durch die Realisierung gemeinsamer Projekte die wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit fördern, sowie den Austritt aus der Krise beschleunigen können, erklärte der serbische Präsident Boris Tadic adressierend an die Wirtschaftler beim Mazedonisch-serbischen Geschäftsforum in Skopje. Der Präsident Mazedoniens Djordje Ivanov hob hervor, die Wirtschaften der beiden Länder seien komplementär, und rief die serbischen Wirtschaftler dazu auf, in Mazedonien zu investieren. Aus Skopje berichtet Biljana Blanusa. Serbien und Mazedonien haben gute politische Verhältnisse, wobei sich die Kulturen der zwei Völker an einander lehnen, betonte Präsident Tadic. Dies ist, wie er sagte, eine gute Grundlage auch für die wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit, welche der technologischen Erneuerung und Reindustrialisierung der beiden Wirtschaften beitragen sollte. Tadic hob hervor, dass Serbien große Bemühungen geleistet habe, die Verkehrsinfrastruktur zu erbauen, wobe...

Ein hoher serbisch-orthodoxer Würdenträger ist am Montag in Mazedonien festgenommen worden. Die Festnahme des Exarchen des serbisch-orthodoxen Patriarchats in Mazedonien, Erzbischof Jovan (Vraniskovski), erfolgte in Medzitlija, bei einem Versuch, aus Griechenland einzureisen. Wladika Jovan war im Oktober 2009 von einem mazedonischen Gericht wegen angeblicher Veruntreuung von 250.000 Euro in Abwesenheit zu zweieinhalb Jahren Haft verurteilt worden. Auf Basis des mazedonischen Haftbefehls war Vraniskovski im November 2010 in Bulgarien festgenommen worden, kam später jedoch frei. Die mazedonische Presseagentur Makfax berichtete unterdessen, dass der festgenommene Erzbischof bereits in ein Gefängnis unweit der Hauptstadt Skopje gebracht worden sei, um die Haftstrafe abzubüßen. Die orthodoxe Kirche in Mazedonien hatte 1967 unter Mithilfe der damaligen kommunistischen Machthaber Jugoslawiens ihre kanonische Selbstständigkeit (Autokephalie) verkündet, die allerdings von der Weltortho...

  Following a trend seen in much of the rest of the world, some Macedonians are selling euros and buying US dollars and Swiss francs while many have switched investments to Macedonia's own currency, the Denar. As worries over the future of the single Euro currency grow, more and more people are seeking advice from banks and heading to exchange offices, bank employees say. “In the last few days our clients are more nervous than usual, asking us what to do, and whether to keep their euros or sell them,” a staffer in NLB Tutunska Banka, one of the biggest banks in Macedonia, told MINA. The same source said there was no panic but some clients have already swapped savings to US dollar and Swiss franc accounts, even though the interest rates on them were significantly lower than for savings in euros. To calm fears, the head of the National Bank of Macedonia, NBM, Dimitar Bogov, insisted that people’s savings were secure in spite of the euro uncertainty. “There is no place for fear...

Macedonian construction companies are considered one of the best in Europe. Because of this the volume of new work has increased in Slovenia, Albania, Croatia, Italy and Ukraine, whereas on other markets, Macedonian companies reported a decrease. On the other hand, Montenegro and France are new markets.  Construction companies conducted construction work worth MKD 1.7 billion in Macedonia in the first nine months. This is 8.9 percent less than in the same period of 2010. According to the data of the Macedonian State Statistical Office, construction companies agreed construction work worth MKD 2 billion on foreign markets. This is 48.9 percent less than in the same period last year due to financial crisis.

Dutch company "HaVeP" will invest EUR 2 million in the production of workwear and protective wear in Ilinden municipality near Skopje. The company purchased the land for the plant's construction at an e-public bidding for state-owned construction land. The agreement will be signed on Thursday with Ilinden Mayor Zika Stojanovski. "HaVeP" is set to invest EUR 2 million in the Ilinden plant, initially employing 100 people, with a perspective of doubling the capacities.

Cigarette smuggling in Macedonia is low, reducing by 20 percent in the past four years and reaching a level below the average of certain EU states. Customs Administration director Vanco Kargov and Imperial Tobacco TKS-Skopje manager Richard Parratt said lowering of the illicit cigarette trafficking to six percent came as a result of increased cooperation among institutions and the business community in the field, as well as measures undertaken in fighting this phenomenon. The goal of the conference on illicit trafficking with tobacco products, held Wednesday in Skopje, is protecting of consumers from a low-quality product, providing high competitiveness, and protecting fiscal interests. Kargov stressed that despite measures, illicit cigarette trafficking would occur, especially after the country's EU accession, when taxes in the field were to increase significantly. "In order to respond to challenges, our capacities need to be prepared and strengthened", added Kargov....