Makedonien|Mazedonien News

Investment opportunities in Macedonia were presented Friday in London before nearly 100 UK companies from the automotive, electronics, machine engineering and chemical industry and tourism firms. Macedonia's business climate and favourable conditions and advantages for investing in Macedonia were presented at a British-Macedonian Business Forum by the minister in charge of foreign investments, Vele Samak and the director of the Agency for Foreign Investments and Export Promotion, Visar Fida. After the forum, the Macedonian delegation held talks with several potential investors, Samak's cabinet said in a press release. The government launched country's economic presentation early this week in Germany, where a delegation led by Vice PM for economic affairs Vladimir Pesevski together with minister Samak and director Fida presented Macedonia's business benefits before over 200 German and Japanese businessmen.

The richest man in the world, Mexican telecommunications magnate Carlos Slim will visit Macedonia. Slim, whose wealth is estimated at US$69 million according to Forbes magazine, is going to attend an IT conference in Ohrid taking place on March 31-April 2. The Mexican businessman is expected to chair a meeting of theBroadband Commission for Digital Development, which has been formed by the International Telecommunication Union and UNESCO. The Ohrid event will be also attended by a top government delegation, led by Premier Nikola Gruevski, who is scheduled to deliver an address at the conference. Gruevski and economic ministers at a working meeting with Slim will present several projects and investments in the IT sector, energy and mining. "Hopefully, Slim will find these projects interesting and we'll maintain contact in order the business cooperation to be developed hoping that he will invest in Macedonia," said Minister of Information Society and Admini...

For the first time in Macedonian football, a Fourth League game was played at night under floodlights. Yesterday, Topolchani hosted Dinamo Mazhuchishte at 20:00 CET in the village of Topolchani as part of Round 14 of the Fourth League OFS Prilep Division A. The stadium in Topolchani, which can hold 500 spectators, recently added floodlights which is a rarity for many of the venues in Macedonia. First League clubs don't even have that luxury, besides the teams that play at the Philip II Arena. The match would end in a 4:1 win for the home team thanks to goals scored by Dejan Trajcheski, Zlatko Pusoski, Dime Derkoski and Boban Terzioski. Topolchani is battling for first place this season which results in a promotion to the Third League South.

The Ministry of Economy announced Friday a public call for the sale of 76.575 percent of organic-chemical industry "Naum Naumovski-Borce" Skopje (OHIS). One of the criteria for the bidders is for their individual or consolidated revenues in 2009, 2010 and 2011 to exceed EUR 2 million for each year. Bids are to be submitted by May 30. For more details, one can turn to the Ministry of Economy website  www.economy.gov.mk . When selecting the most favorable bidder, most points are given for the company's solvency, investments in first five years, number of new jobs in first three years, as well as offered price per share. Minister Valon Saraqini recently said two Bulgarian and one domestic company have shown interest for the loss-making company. In order to make the plant more attractive for investors, the Government has turned on several occasions OHIS's debts to the state into shares.

Armenian table tennis team will face off against Macedonia at 2012 World Team Table Tennis Championships underway in Dortmund, Germany. Armenia rivaled Morocco on March 29, with Mesrop Ghukasyan beating Ahmed Zegli 3:0, and then losing to Mounaim Tirselt. Murad Asatryan and Alexander Diaryan were also defeated. Armenian team lost 1:3 to Morocco and is going to run for 81st-84th places, facing off against Macedonia on March 30.

President Goodluck Jonathan, on Thursday, said his administration is fully aware of the importance of education and is doing everything possible to ensure that the nation’s youth are properly trained to contribute significantly to national development. Speaking at an audience with Darko Angelov, the non-resident Ambassador of Macedonia to Nigeria, Jonathan expressed the Federal Government’s appreciation of scholarships offered by the Macedonian Government for the training of some Nigerian youth in Macedonia. The President said he was happy to welcome the envoy who presented his letters of credence as Macedonia’s first-ever Ambassador to Nigeria, adding that he looked forward to the consolidation and expansion of bilateral relations between the two countries. In turn, Angelov told Jonathan that his country was very keen on developing existing relations with Nigeria because of Nigeria’s importance on the African continent. QUELLE

Foreign Minister Nikola Poposki attended Wednesday the formal opening of Macedonia's Honorary Consulate in the Czech Republic.  The Consulate is located in city of Hradec Kralove, about 120 km from Prague. Jiri Flidr, Chairman of the Board of Directors of 'Zvu Potez' company, has the honor to be Macedonian Consul for the Czech East Bohemia region. Connecting of Macedonian and Czech business communities is going to be my main objective, as there is a room for bolstering the cooperation, Flidr said at the opening ceremony.

Macedonia's opportunities to join NATO were discussed on Wednesday in Washington by a delegation of the Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee - comprised of MPs Antonio Milososki, Igor Ivanovski, Desira Imeri and Pavle Sazdov - with US congressmen Bill Pascrell, Alcee Hastings, David Dreier and Candice Miller. The MPs at the meetings highlighted Macedonia's commitment to the process through its completed reform activities and participation in NATO-led international missions, Parliament's press service said. The judgement of the International Court of Justice was presented to the congressmen as one of the main arguments for Macedonian membership to NATO. "A meeting was also held between ambassadors of the A5 group and the parliamentary delegation with a group of US congressmen. The ambassadors clearly voiced their willingness and support for Macedonia's NATO membership. Committee's chairman Milososki took the opportunity to present arguments being ...

Culture Minister Elizabeta Kanceska-Milevska pays Friday an official visit to the Republic of Croatia, meeting with host Andrea Zlatar-Violic. Talks will focus on bilateral culture relations and activities for their future enhancement. Kanceska-Milevska will promote edition "130 Volumes Macedonian Literature" in English language in the Zagreb-based National Library, thus marking 20 years from the establishment of Macedonia-Croatia bilateral ties. The Culture Minister will also visit the Museum of Arts and Crafts. Moreover, Kanceska-Milevska will attend the concert of Macedonian piano virtuoso Simon Trpceski with the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra, under the baton of Ivan Repusic. Macedonia and Croatia share excellent cultural ties, demonstrated through frequent tours of artists, theatres, projects. The latest cooperation agreement for period 2012-2015 was signed last year in Dubrovnik.

PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan, on Thursday, received letters of credence from the first ever Macedonia ambassador to the country, while expressing the hope of a rewarding relationship between Nigeria and the South-East European nation. He said in an audience with Ambassador Darko Angelov that government appreciated the effort of the Macedonian government in offering scholarship to some Nigerian youths in that country, stressing his administration’s commitment to the education of the youth in recognition of the important role educated youths could play in national development. President Jonathan said he would do all that were necessary to ensure that the nation’s youths were properly trained to contribute more significantly to the progress of the country. He said he was happy to welcome Mr Angelov, adding that he looked forward to the consolidation and expansion of bilateral cooperation between Nigeria and Macedonia. He also assured the ambassador that the Federal Governm...

The Czech Republic supports Macedonia's quickest possible admission to NATO, but this cannot be expected at the forthcoming NATO summit, Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg said after a meeting with his Macedonian counterpart Nikola Poposki Thursday. The summit to be held in Chicago in May will deal with other themes, such as anti-missile defence, Schwarzenberg said. Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov recently asked for his country being admitted to NATO in Chicago. The admission was blocked by Greece over years-long disputes over whether the former Yugoslav republic or the north Greek region has the right to use the name Macedonia. "The summit in Chicago is not devoted to enlargement," Schwarzenberg said. He said, however, it is not necessary that the allies call on Macedonia to enter the Alliance at top level. This can also be done on another opportunity, said Schwarzenberg who has also long supported Macedonia's effort to enter the EU. ...

Belgian bus maker Van Hool has set up a EUR5m Macedonia's subsidiary, SeeNews reported March 28, citing data from the country's Central Registry. The main line of business is motor vehicles production.  In January, Belgian daily De Standaard reported that Van Hool plans to build a plant near the Macedonian capital Skopje, adding that its output could reach 500 buses over the next three years.

Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan has thanked Macedonia for offering scholarships to train Nigerian youths in Macedonia. According to a Nigerian presidency statement, the Nigerian leader expressed his gratitude for the gesture when he received the non-resident Ambassador of Macedonia to Nigeria, Mr. Darko Angelov, in the capital city of Abuja Thursday. The statement, made available to Nigerian media, quotes President Jonathan as saying his administration is fully aware of the importance of education and is therefore doing everything possible to ensure that the nation’s youth are properly trained to contribute more significantly to national development. The President said that he was happy to welcome Mr. Angelov, who was at the Presidential Villa to present his letters of credence as Macedonia’s first-ever Ambassador to Nigeria, adding that he looked forward to the consolidation and expansion of bilateral cooperation between Nigeria and Macedonia. Mr. Angelov to...

Improvement of economic ties and trade cooperation between Macedonia and China through joint projects and assistance at expert and technical level is envisaged by the protocols and memorandums signed Thursday by the Chinese high delegation - led by Vice Premier Hui Liangyu - and by the Macedonian government. A protocol of phytosanitary requirements for the export of tobacco from Macedonia to China was signed. The promotion of Macedonian tobacco on the market in China will be significantly mitigated under the document. China has also provided a grant of over three million euros for projects in education and healthcare and will enable trainings for Macedonian civil servants in relation to foreign affairs and agricultural development. "Bilateral visits paid recently have resulted in boosting the trade exchange between Macedonia and China - there's an increase of more than 30% in 2011. It is expected this trend to continue in the future," Vice PM in charge of...

The number of transported passengers in airline traffic at Macedonian airports in the first two months in 2012 has increased by 20 percent compared to the same period in 2011, the Ministry of Transport and Communications said in a press release. In January, the number of transported passengers at the Skopje and Ohrid airports amounted to 63,877 i.e. a 23.5 percent increase compared to 2011. In February, the number is 48,756, which is up by 21.2 percent compared to the same month last year. "Following the completion of the project for modernization of Macedonia's airport system by way of concession, there has been a continual rise in the number of passengers and flights. A total of 834,273 were transported at both airports in the course of 2011, which is an increase by 15 percent compared to 2010. In addition, there has been a 9.8-percent rise in the cargo transport", reads the press release.

"Skopje Remixed", an anthology film joining nine stories about Skopje by ten Macedonian directors, will be premiered on Friday evening in Millenium movie theatre. The omnibus film is produced by New Macedonian Video company. It was shot in a period of three years with a budget amounting to 400.000 euros, provided by the Macedonian Film Fund (350.000 euros) and Serbia's Film Center (50.000 euros). The project was conceived by director Borjan Zafirovski, who assembled eight other young colleagues to direct short films about Skopje. They include Srgjan Janakievic, Darjan Pejovski, Sasa Stanisic, Jane Altiparmakov, Sinisa Eftimov, Gjorce Stavreski, Vardan Tozija and Ognen Dimitrovski. The two-hour film is comprised of nine short stories presenting different points of view about Macedonia's capital. It was shot on various locations in Skopje over a period of time by different cinematographers. "The idea was to make a movie to portray this restless and c...

A Chinese delegation led by Vice Premier Hui Liangyu, pays a three-day visit to Macedonia. Delegation also includes Minister of Agriculture Han Changfu, Minister of State Ethnic Affairs Commission Yang Jing, Ambassador to Skopje Cui Zhiwei, Deputy General Secretary of the General Office of the State Council Ding Suedong, Deputy Foreign Minister Zhai Jun and Deputy International Trade Representative Chong Quan. The delegation consists of thirty members among whom is president of China National Agricultural Development Group, director general of Department for International Cooperation within Ministry of Agriculture and director general of the Institute for Economics Development Research. The Chinese delegation will hold a meeting with Deputy PM Vladimir Pesevski discussing bilateral issues. President Gjorge Ivanov and PM Nikola Gruevski will also meet with Chinese delegation. Exchange of Letters on civil servants training project will be carried out as well as A...

Challenges are increasing in number and diversity. The global economic crisis and its implications on regional security and development, energy security, but also possibilities for application of the NATO 'smart defense' concept. Whatever the challenges, I believe joint solutions do not include only shared values, tasks and responsibilities, but also shared rights and privileges, which originate from the deserved NATO membership, stressed President Gjorge Ivanov at the opening of conference of U.S.-Adriatic Charter defense ministers, held in Skopje on Thursday. "In light of the NATO summit in Chicago, the conference is the right place to recall on the outcome of the Adriatic Charter. The Charter's preamble reads that the partnership is derived from the possibility to encircle an 'entirely new Europe', where every nation, ethnic group, citizen and religion are safe, secure and respected. We want to be partners and allies with all neighbors, building the...

Vardar continues with its winning ways, beating Turnovo today 2-1 thus cementing their position as the leader of the Macedonian 1st Division. Metalurg is second after playing a scoreless draw with Skendija earlier today. Fans at this match were thrilled after a stray dog entered the stadium and provided additional entertainment in an otherwise boring match.  Rabotnicki managed to defeat Sileks for the first time in 3.5 years. Teteks disappointed its fans with a loss to Renova.  Vardar leads with 56 pts, Metalurg is second with 44 and Skendija third with 41. 11 Oktomvri 0 - 1 FK Bregalnica Stip Fk Metalurg Skopje 0 - 0 Shkendija 79 FK Turnovo 1 - 2 FK Vardar Napredok 3 - 0 Ohrid Rabotnicki 2 - 0 FK Sileks Teteks 1 - 5 Renova

Macedonia-based ferro-silicon producer Yugochrom will ramp up output again in April on stronger markets, after shutting production late last year in response to the poor prices at the time, an executive at its owner Camelot Group told Metal Bulletin. The company, whose main customers are the steel mills of southern Europe, the Balkans and Turkey, will be producing 5,500 tpm of ferro-silicon again from next month, Maxim Moskalev, the gm of Camelot Group, said. The price of ferro-silicon, which is used as a deoxidant in steel blast furnaces, has risen to €1,220-1,260 ($1,628-1,682) per tonne in-warehouse from €1,080-1,140 in January, while ferro-manganese prices have climbed yet more strongly. Ferro-manganese is trading at €975-1,000 per tonne in Europe, up from €780-830 per tonne at the start on January. The company’s 75% ferro-silicon production is well sold,... QUELLE

Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu arrived in Skopje, capital of Macedonia, on Wednesday for a three-day visit. During his stay in Macedonia, Hui will hold talks with Macedonian Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Vladimir Peshevski, Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski and President Gjorge Ivanov. Hui is here at the invitation of Peshevski. After Macedonia, he will continue his visit to Montenegro, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Indonesia.

The 38. International Fair of Furniture, Household, and Social Buildings Equipment, Manufacturing Supplies, and Furniture Industry Machinery "Mebel 2012" is held March 27-April 1 at Skopje Fair. Over 400 domestic and foreign exhibitors will present their latest products in modern and classic furniture and design. Mebel fair is known for its most striking and original interior decorations that, besides home furniture, trace the trend of modern kitchens and elegant baths, illumination, flooring and wall decorations, upholsteries, office furniture for every taste, furniture for public facilities, furniture and accessories for gardens, as well as the latest technical and technological achievements of reproduction materials, machines and equipment for wood processing. This specialized exhibition and commercial fair has developed into a stock exchange of this industrial branch and meeting point for producers and traders from Macedonia, the Balkans and beyond. Over...

A government delegation led by the Vice PM responsible for economic affairs, Vladimir Pesevski is set to present Macedonia's investment opportunities before representatives of 40 companies in Stuttgart. Pesevski said that on Tuesday, Macedonian business advantages would be presented in Dusseldorf before representatives of Japanese companies that are headquartered in the German city. " The presentation was organised in November 2011, but now it makes more sense after Premier Nikola Gruevski had paid a visit to Japan. There is great interest and the presidents of these Japanese companies are expected to attend to be personally informed about Macedonia as an investment destination ," the Vice Premier stated. The government team led by Pesevski on Sunday and Monday was in Ulm. In addition to holding meetings with the business community, which was represented by enterprises focused on renewable energy sources and environment protection, it also visited scientific ...

A Qatari company mulls opening filling stations in Macedonia, Macedonian Vecer daily informs. The news broke after the visit of a Macedonian government delegation to Qatar. The Macedonian delegation was headed by Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski. The company in question is Qatar Petroleum, which plans to open 20 filling stations on the territory of the Balkan country. The terrains of the new filling stations are already chosen.  Qatar is interested in launching studies for possible oil and natural gas fields in Macedonia, but also in acquiring 49% shares in ELEM - Macedonian Power Plants.

Foreign Minister Nikola Poposki March 28-29 pays a visit to the Czech Republic. He is scheduled to meet with his Czech colleague Karel Schwarzenberg and Prime Minister Petr Necas. Poposki will attend opening of honorary consulate of the Republic of Macedonia in the city of Hradec Kralove, located about 120 km from Prague. - Macedonia expects to receive Czech support for start of EU talks, something that we are working on intensively as in the frames of the reforms we are conducting and in respect of expectations to next EU recommendations, Poposki stated prior to his visit to Czech Republic. On Thursday, Poposki is to meet members of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the House of Representatives and of the Committee of Foreign Affairs, Defence and Security of the Senate. Poposki will also give a speech titled "Macedonia on the Road to NATO and EU: Knocking on the Open Door" in the Institute of International Relations. The meetings in Prague will focus on d...

Macedonia's Euro-Atlantic integration should have been completed long ago. This did not happen in Bucharest due to the name row with Greece. We believe there are solutions, relatively simple solutions that will remove the concerns of both sides, said U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs, Philip Reeker at the Southeast European Economic Forum, held in Washington. Reeker, who addressed Tuesday's session of the forum, organized by the Center for Transatlantic Relations within Johns Hopkins University, said he thought Macedonia's integration would be completed long time ago, by the end of the 1990s, reports Voice of America in Macedonian Language. He stressed there is no armed conflict between Greece and Macedonia, but a dispute that needs to be settled through leadership from both sides. " There were ideas on the table, UN leads the process and would want to reach a solution. If you really want to go back to history, the Maced...

Energy, construction of real estates, agriculture and tourism i.e. tourist free zones are the four key areas in which Qatari companies have showed great interest. A delegation made up of representatives of different sectors and companies has announced a visit to Macedonia in April to provide information involving potential projects for investing, said Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski Tuesday in Doha as he was concluding his two-day visit to the State of Qatar. He stated that Qatar's Minister of Energy and Industry,Mohammad bin Saleh Al Sada at a meeting held yesterday voiced interest in the project for ensuring a participation of 49% in the Macedonian Power Plants company, ELEM, through recapitalisation. "Qatar is definitely interested. The construction of new hydro power plants, thermal and gas power stations is an investment that will provide 49% of the company ELEM. I'll say once again that this is part of our election and governmental programme and preparations ...

Mitglieder der Gemeinde orthodoxer Christen aus Mazedonien bauen sich in Mainz ihre eigene Kirche. Fotos: epd-bild/Andrea Enderlein Engagement - Eine Gemeinde orthodoxer Christen baut sich in Mainz eine Kirche. Es ist das erste mazedonisch-orthodoxe Gotteshaus in Deutschland. Das Projekt kommt ohne einen einzigen Euro Zuschuss von der Mutterkirche oder aus öffentlichen Kassen aus. Die Baustelle hat die Zuwanderer aus dem früheren Jugoslawien und ihre Kinder zusammengeschweißt. Von Karsten Packeiser Wie viele Stunden er auf der Baustelle verbracht hat, hat Naum Kosarkoski nie nachgezählt. "Ich arbeite nicht für Geld, sondern dafür, dass meine Familie gesund bleibt", sagt der Elektriker aus dem hessischen Mörfelden-Walldorf. Der heilige Nikolaus von Myra soll das richten. Ihm zu Ehren entsteht inmitten trister Industriebetriebe und Bürobauten in einem Mainzer Gewerbegebiet zurzeit ein byzantinisches Kleinod - die erste mazedonisch-orthodoxe Kirche Deutschland...

Macedonia has suspended its visa regime for Ukrainians for one year, the Foreign Ministry of Ukraine has reported.  "On March 15, 2012, an instruction of the government of the Republic of Macedonia on temporary suspension of its visa regime for citizens of Ukraine until March 15, 2013 took effect," the press secretary of the Foreign Ministry, Oleksandr Dykusarov, said at a briefing in Kyiv on Tuesday. He added that Ukrainians could travel to Macedonia without visas for short visits. Read more: http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/125000/#ixzz1qMfhJo4o

HE the Chairman of the Administrative Control and Transparency Authority Abdullah bin Hamad  al-Attiyah presenting a memento to the visiting Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski in Doha yesterday. During a meeting held on the occasion they discussed topics of mutual interest. The meeting was attended by HE Qatar’s Ambassador to Macedonia Sultan bin Saad Almurakhi. The Macedonian prime minister and his accompanying delegation left Doha later yesterday.

In der Nacht vom 22. auf den 23.03.2012 trafen in Brüssel der makedonische Außenminister Nikola Popovski und der griechische Außenminister Stavros Dimas zu einem Gespräch zusammen. Dieses Treffen fand am Rande eines Arbeitsessens der EU-Außenminister mit den Außenministern der EU-Beitrittsstaaten statt.  Themen des Gespräches waren unter anderem die regionale Zusammenarbeit und die Integration der Republik Makedonien in die Europäische Union (EU). Auch die Notwendigkeit von weiteren Reformschritten der makedonischen Regierung wurden diskutiert. Der sogenannte Namensstreit ist jedoch das größte Hindernis für eine weitere Integration der Republik Makedonien in die EU. Auf diesem Gebiet sind jedoch ernsthafte Gespräche erst nach den vorgezogenen griechische Parlamentswahlen möglich. In der kommenden Woche soll der Termin für diese Parlamentswahl bekanntgegeben werden, die nach informellen Angabe spätestens bis zum 13.05.2012 erfolgen soll. Das Treffen zwischen Nikola Popovski und Stav...

Usually a cliche, except this time is the simple truth. Metalurg lost its rematch to Zagreb, not to the Croatian club, but to the Spanish refs. Everyone who saw the match knew that the game was decided after e bizzare suspension in which the Spanish refs suspended Mirkulovski for 2 min. with seven minutes remaining. To seal the deal, Zagreb was awarded a penalty as well! During an offensive play for Zagreb in the 53rd minute, the referee who was right next to the play kept his whistle silent, however the ref who was a 'mile' away made a call, suspended Mirkulovski and awarded penalty for Zagreb who expectedly increased their lead. This was the deciding moment in the match when the visitors psychologically gave up. The Spanish refs simply let Metalurg know they controlled the match and were destined to lose. But wait, that wasn't the end. The Spanish refs having a hand in ensuring Zagreb gets closer to victory, tried to wash away their sins by illogically suspending a ...

A Government delegation led by Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, also including Vice Premier and Finance Minister Zoran Stavreski, Minister for Foreign Investments Bill Pavleski, and director of the Directorate for Technological Industrial Development Zones Viktor Mizo, paid a visit Sunday to several Qatar government companies, agencies and funds, in the framework of promoting Macedonia's economic potentials for attraction of foreign investments and presentation of country's products. The Macedonian delegation visited Qatar Holding, the country's investment fund in public and private companies in sectors energy, industry and infrastructure, telecommunications and technology, real estate, trade, agriculture and commodities. Talks with the fund's management team, led by Vice Chairman Hussain Ali Al-Abdulla, and Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Ahmad Mohamed Al-Sayed, focused on the energy sector, i.e. options for investments in project Vardarska Dolina, hydr...

A Government delegation, led by Vice Premier for Economic Affairs Vladimir Pesevski, pays a three-day visit to the Federal Republic of Germany, aimed at presenting Macedonia's investment opportunities. The first business forum will be held in Ulm on Sunday, presenting benefits for investing in Macedonia. Moreover, the delegation will hold meetings with potential investors, Pesevski's Cabinet said in a press release. The Government delegation will also meet with representatives of the Helmholtz Institute within the Ulm University, which focuses on biomass energy production. Activities on attracting foreign investments will continue in Stuttgart and Dusseldorf. The delegation also includes Minister for Foreign Investments Vele Samak, and director of Agency for Foreign Investments and Export Promotion, Visar Fida.

The German Dräxlmaier Group at its website announces vacant positions for highly skilled managers and professionals for the launch of new production facility in Kavadarci with over 4.000 employees. The investment in Macedonia will amount €30 million. Minister of Foreign Investments Vele Samak has recently announced the amount of the investment and number of new jobs. The company will open production facility for electrical installations and cables this year, offering jobs to 4,000 employees in the next 3 years. The products from the factory in Macedonia will be installed in Mercedes cars in Germany, Samak said. The Dräxlmaier Group is an international company founded in 1958 in Germany and produces automotive specific cables, spare parts and electrical equipment for cars. The Dräxlmaier Group has a global presence on four continents, in over 20 countries, at over 50 locations.

Macedonia is making progress in tackling climate changes and in adapting the most vulnerable sectors, it is underlined in conclusions of several documents as well as in the latest report on country's progress on the matter. This was stated Wednesday by Minister of Environment and Physical Planning Abdilaqim Ademi at a closing presentation of results derived from the projects "Protecting Health from Climate Change - a Seven-Country Initiative". He said that a multisectoral analysis on the impact of climate changes, better understanding of social and economic aspects, strengthening of national capacities was needed.

Macedonian wineries continue to earn awards and be repeatedly voted as making the world's best wines... At the 19th international wine competition held at Château des Ravatys in France, Macedonian winery Stobi received a silver medal. At the festival more than 300 wine experts (oenologists) had the utmost difficult task in selecting world's best Chardonnay wines. Famous wineries from 43 countries presented 908 varieties of Chardonnay wines, which makes Stobi's silver medal the more remarkable. -This is a huge achievement for us, for our philosophy and approach in making wine, and speaks volumes for the quality of our wine" says visibly pleased Dane Jovanov, Director at Stobi Winery. Stobi Winery beat out stiff competition from wine makers from Spain, Italy, France, Chile, Australia, New Zealand etc. 

The Macedonian Football Federation (FFM) said Tuesday that two postponed matches in the Albanian-majority town of Tetovo would go ahead despite ongoing ethnic tensions. The matches were postponed last week after a number of clashes between Macedonians and ethnic Albanians which left more than a dozen people injured in Skopje and Tetovo in previous weeks. Tetovo police spokesman Marijan Josifovski told AFP the situation “is more relaxed compared to a week ago.” “We now estimate that the matches can take place,” Josifovski said. On late Wednesday Teteks, from Tetovo, will now meet Skopje side Napredok. On Thursday FK Skendija, Macedonia’s biggest Albanian football club, is due to meet top Macedonian team Vardar Skopje.

Der makedonische Außenminister war am 20.03.2012 zu Besuch in Berlin und traf im deutschen Auswärtigen Amt mit dem deutschen Außenminister Guido Westerwelle zusammen. Gesprächsthemen waren die unter anderem die Integration der Republik Makedonien in die Europäische Union (EU) und NATO. Außenminister Mazedoniens Popovski mit dem deutschen Außenminister Westerwelle Die europäische Perspektive der Republik Makedonien Die Integration der Republik Makedonien in die EU und NATO gehört zu den Prioritäten der makedonischen Außenpolitik, betonte der makedonische Außenminister Nikola Poposki auf der gemeinsamen Pressekonferenz mit dem deutschen Außenminister Guido Westerwelle. Die Herausforderungen auf diesem Weg müssten im europäischen Geist überwunden werden. Die weitere Integration der Republik Makedonien in die EU und NATO ist aufgrund des sogenannten Namensstreits blockiert. In bilateralen Gesprächen zwischen der Republik Makedonien und der Hellenische Republik im Rahmen der Vereinten Na...

Radmila Sekerinska Jankovska, aged 40, will present her mandate and mission details as ODIHR/OSCE representative in Yerevan tomorrow, Trend reports. She was the Acting Prime Minister of Macedonia, a former state of Yugoslavia, in November-December 2004. Then she became the opposition leader as head of the Social-Democratic Union. Radmila Sekerinska headed the ODIHR/OSCE mission to monitor the Kyrgyz presidential polls in 2009. Now she will monitor elections in Armenia. QUELLE

Bundesaußenminister Guido Westerwelle empfängt am Dienstag (20.03.) den mazedonischen Außenminister Nikola Poposki zu politischen Gesprächen im Auswärtigen Amt. Neben Fragen des weiteren Ausbaus der bilateralen Beziehungen stehen vor allem regional- und sicherheitspolitische Themen auf der Agenda. Hierzu gehört u.a. die Frage der aktuellen innenpolitischen Spannungen in Skopje, die Situation der mazedonischen Medienlandschaft sowie die weitere Annäherung des Landes an die euro-atlantischen Strukturen. QUELLE

Macedonia inked an agreement to avoid double taxation and to protect investments with the State of Kuwait. The document was signed Tuesday in Skopje by Vice PM and Finance Minister Zoran Stavreski and Kuwait's ambassador Abdullah Abdulaziz Al-Duwaikh. The agreement represents a door for investors from the two countries and an opportunity for strengthening the cooperation between Macedonia and Kuwait, according to them. Stavreski said it was an opportunity for markets in the Arab world to opened and an increasing investments from Kuwait to be launched in Macedonia. Investments and cooperation can be established in the field of real estate, tourism, agro-business, export of water and realization of other infrastructural projects within Kuwait's five-year plan in amount of over $135 billion. Ambassador Abdullah Abdulaziz Al-Duwaikh stated that in addition to the agreement defining a legal framework for investors in both countries, an additional incentive for enhancing the bila...

International brands "Carrefour", "Zara" and "Cineplexx" are the three largest renters in Skopje City Mall, a EUR 90 million investment, which is to open in September, said investing company "Balfin MK" on Tuesday. French "Carrefour", the second-largest supermarket chain in the world and the largest in Europe, will have a store of 4,650m2, whereas "Inditex Group" will bring its fashion brands "Zara", "Bershka", "Massimo Dutti", "Pull&Bear" and "Stradivarius" at 4,350m2. In addition, "Cineplexx" will hold nine cinema halls in Skopje City Mall, equipped with the latest digital technology "Real 3D". Balfin MK CEO Peter Warden said about 15 percent of the mall space is still free and will be offered to local companies. He expects Skopje City Mall to open in September and employ 2,200 people. Vice Premier and Finance Minister Zoran Stavreski also salu...

DUI's Ermira Mehmeti in an interview for Tirana based "Klan TV" says she too dreams of Great Albania and a country where all Albanians will live together. Was Mehmeti not aware that there is such a country already called Albania!? The DUI MP, known in Skopje circles as having unusually turbulent and busy nightlife, butted heads with famous Albanian analyst Fatos Ljubonja who is known for grilling ethnic Albanian politicians.  Ljubonja told Mehmeti that she is a "Macedonian MP, working in and for Macedonia which as a country that has other ethnicities inlcluding Albanians" and asked whether "Your party is working to carve up Macedonia". To this, Mehmeti replied that she only works in Macedonian Parliament, but she is not a Macedonian MP. Tirana based analysts always appear stunned by such statements, how unloyal ethnic Albanian politicians are towards Macedonia and the fact that they have not been prosecuted for spreading ethnic tensions, hate spe...

In May, NATO leaders will meet for the annual heads of state and government summit in Chicago. Absent from the summit’s agenda is the issue of enlargement—a pillar of the alliance. Since taking office, President Obama has done little to support the membership of qualified candidates. This year’s NATO summit provides an opportunity to correct this. NATO’s “open door policy” is critical to mobilizing Europe and its allies around a collective transatlantic defense. According to Article 10 of the North Atlantic Treaty, any European state that fulfills the requirements of the treaty and demonstrates the competency to contribute to the alliance’s security is eligible for membership. [1] The U.S. should take steps to make sure that the open door policy is not stifled. Last week, Congress took a decisive stance on NATO enlargement with the introduction of the “NATO Enhancement Act of 2012,” sponsored by Senator Richard Lugar (R–IN). The bill emphasizes America’s leadership in expanding the ...

Im mazedonischen Bitola haben die Arbeiten zum Bau eines neuen Produktionswerks des deutschen Automobilzulieferers und Kunststofftechnikunternehmens Kromberg&Schubert begonnen. Wie der türkische Honorarkonsul Ajduvan Ademovski bekannt gab, handelt es sich bei dem Auftragnehmer um das türkische Bauunternehmen Pera Construction, die Investitionen liegen bei rund 20 Mio. EUR. Weiter sagte Ademovski nach einem Treffen mit Bitolas Bürgermeister Vladimir Taleski, man hoffe auf eine Fertigstellung des Baus im Industriepark Žabeni bis Jahresende sowie mit einer Aufnahme der Produktion 2013. Allerdings hatten mazedonische Medien bereits im vergangenen November von einem Baustart berichtet. Die Behörden erhoffen sich bis zu 2.500 neue Arbeitsplätze von dem neuen Werk, produziert werden sollen früheren Meldungen zufolge Kabelsätze.

The Obama administration should ask for Macedonia's accession and NATO enlargement to be included in the agenda of May's Alliance summit in Chicago. The United States should also put pressure on Greece over settlement of the name row, say Heritage Foundation analysts Morgan Roach and Luke Coffey. "Absent from the summit's agenda is the issue of enlargement - a pillar of the alliance. Since taking office, President Obama has done little to support the membership of qualified candidates. This year's NATO summit provides an opportunity to correct this. NATO's 'open door policy' is critical to mobilizing Europe and its allies around a collective transatlantic defense. According to Article 10 of the North Atlantic Treaty, any European state that fulfills the requirements of the treaty and demonstrates the competency to contribute to the alliance's security is eligible for membership. The U.S. should take steps to make sure that the open door policy is ...

The Macedonian regulator AEK published a tender for the assignment of frequencies in the 470–790 MHz band. The authorisation will be assigned for the for the multiplexes MUX 6, MUX 7 and MUX 8 in eight locations and MUX 6 and MUX 7 in one location (Skopje City). The frequencies will be available after the switch-off of analogue TV in June 2013. The operator assigned the radio frequencies will be obliged to build a digital terrestrial system and start broadcasting from 1 June 2013. MUX 6 and 7 are reserved for broadcasting of commercial terrestrial broadcasters with national coverage, and MUX 8 for broadcasting of commercial terrestrial broadcasters with regional coverage. The licences are valid for ten years. The coverage requirement as of 1 June 2013 and during the whole period of the licence is 80 percent of the whole territory and 80 percent of each region. Applications can be submitted within 45 days.

Solarthermie-Forschung an der Uni Stuttgart: Ein moderner Prüfstand sichert die Qualität. Im Rahmen des Projekts Umwelt baut Brücken haben 18 Schüler des Albert-Einstein-Gymnasiums dort recherchiert. An sechs Orten der Welt wird ein moderner Prüfstand für solarthermische Anlagen eingesetzt. Er ist in Stuttgart-Vaihingen entwickelt worden. Einsatzorte sind Stuttgart-Vaihingen, Lianyungang in der Volksrepublik China, Pretoria in Südafrika, Malaga in Spanien, Skopje in Makedonien und Tirana in Albanien. Der Prüfstand wurde von der Firma "Solar- und Wärmetechnik (SWT)" entwickelt. Diese ist 2002 vom Institut für Thermodynamik und Thermische Ingenieurleistungen (ITW) an der Universität Stuttgart gegründet worden. Die Sonne schickt rund 10 000 Mal mehr Energie, als auf der Erde zurzeit genutzt wird. Wärme zum Heizen und zur Bereitung von Warmwasser kann mit Sonnenenergie erzeugt werden. Und das, ohne die Umwelt zu belasten. Infolgedessen wächst der Markt für thermische Solartec...