Makedonien|Mazedonien News

Goran Sopov (r.) und Adler-Manager Thomas Wirtz nach der Vertragsunterschrift. Krefeld. Handball-Drittligist Adler Königshof hat einen neuen Trainer gefunden. Goran Sopov, seit Saisonbeginn Co-Trainer und inzwischen Cheftrainer bei Verbandsligist TV Oppum, übernimmt das Amt ab 1. Januar. Er folgt auf Hubert Krouß, der vor zwei Wochen entlassen worden war. Der frühere Mazedonische Nationalspieler war sieben Jahre in Dülken als Trainer tätig und warf dort Anfang des Jahres die Brocken hin. Als Spieler agierte der 43-Jährige bei Borussia Mönchengladbach und beim SV Urmitz. Sopov wird in der ersten Januarwoche mehrere Trainingseinheiten leiten. Adler-Manager Thomas Wirtz und Sopov meinen, dass der Fünf-Punkte-Rückstand zum Nichtabstiegsplatz zwar eine Bürde darstellt, die Situation aber nicht hoffnungslos ist. „Das Team hat sich in einem Gespräch kämpferisch gezeigt und will die 3. Liga nicht abschenken“, sagte Wirtz. Sopov sagte: „Die ersten Wochen werden hart werden...

Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski presented Wednesday the Macedonian passport to renowned handball coach Lino Cervar for his outstanding contribution to sport and the country's promotion. Cervar is the coach of Macedonian champion "Metalurg", which has achieved the biggest success in the club's history since his arrival in 2009. The team has qualified for the Top 16 stage of the Champions League for the second year running. Lino Cervar won golds at the 2004 Olympics and the 2003 World Championships with Croatia's national team, as well as silver and bronze at the WC in 2005 and 2009 respectively. Moreover, he won two silvers at the 2008 and 2010 euros.

The EU Council put the nationalist agendas of Bulgaria and Greece before EU enlargement, damaged regional stability in the Western Balkans, and undermined the credibility of the EU enlargement process, says the United Macedonian Diaspora (UMD) following the European Council conclusions on Macedonia. “UMD believes that the EU should be the bridge that unites Europe. Instead it has become the divider that deepens inter-regional differences, especially between member-states, which blackmail non-member states”, reads the press release. UMD says Macedonians should be proud of the progress the country has made in terms of institutional reforms and economic development. Since peaceful independence in 1991, Macedonia has built a vibrant free market economy with a stable currency and solid macroeconomics. The country has preserved its centuries-old respect for multiculturalism and religious tolerance. Despite setbacks, Macedonia has emerged as a net exporter of security, making key con...

Machine of Macedonian company "Mikrosam" will be used in the manufacturing of carbon parts for the Russian MS-21 airliner. "Mikrosam" is set to develop the machine, its software and train staff for its handling. The Irkut MS-21, dubbed "Airliner of the 21st Century" is a series of three twin-engine short-range and mid-range Russian jet airliners with a capacity of 150-212 passengers, set for delivery in 2017

SOURCE: B92, TANJUG TIRANA -- The U.S. ambassador in Tirana has warned of an "unfortunate" rise in nationalist rhetoric by Albanian politicians ahead of elections next year. U.S. Ambassador Alexander Arvizu has said that attempts to inflame ethnic tensions could potentially destabilize the Balkans, AP has reported. His comments on Friday follow calls from a small nationalist party for a referendum on uniting Albania with Kosovo.  AP points out that similar calls could be heard from Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha, who recently angered neighboring Greece with talk of “Albanian lands” including parts of Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro.  Tirana later said his comments had a “purely historical context”.  Berisha said that it was necessary to do everything “to make physical borders between Albanians meaningless” and also promised citizenship for ethnic Albanians worldwide.  Arvizu said voters “should not fall for talk of a...

The United States of America does not support the redrawing of national borders in the Balkan region and any efforts to that effect are counterproductive and destabilizing. Albania's political parties and leaders should focus on what they claim is important: Euro-Atlantic integration, US Ambassador Alexander Arvizu in Tirana said Friday at the 15th International Conference on Security in the Western Balkans. " Talk of an illusory 'Greater Albania' is a distraction from the very real problems that Albania faces today, and the voters shouldn't fall for it, " he said. Recently the United States has observed an unfortunate rise in nationalist rhetoric here in Albania, especially in the weeks leading up to and following the 100th anniversary celebrations, the Ambassador said. "This rhetoric contrasts sharply with the overall constructive role that Albania has traditionally played in the region, notably with ethnic-Albanian populations.  The Gover...

Die Regierungen der Mitgliedsstaaten der Europäischen Union (EU) wollen im kommenden Frühjahr entscheiden, ob und wann sie mit der Republik Makedonien Verhandlungen über deren Beitritt in die EU aufnehmen. Dieser Beschluss soll dann noch einmal auf dem EU-Gipfel am 14.12.2012 bekräftigt werden. Damit erhält die Republik Makedonien immer noch kein Datum für den Beginn der Beitrittsgespräche. Allerdings ist die jetzige Sprachregelung deutlich positiver als in den Jahren davor und die Chancen für ein Datum für den Beginn von möglichen Beitrittsgesprächen im Frühjahr 2013 sind zumindest gestiegen. Die Republik Makedonien bleibt weiterhin aufgefordert mit Griechenland des sogenannten Namensstreit beizulegen. Bisher blockierte Griechenland den Beginn von möglichen Beitrittsgesprächen der EU mit der Republik Makedonien. Allerdings ist Griechenland nach dem Interimsabkommen mit der Republik Makedonien vom 13.09.1995 verpflichtet den Beitritt der Republik Makedonien in internationale Organ...

Austria´s State Secretary Reinhold Lopatka speaks at General Affairs Council in Brussels. “The time is ripe for the EU to embark on accession negotiations with Macedonia. It would be a mistake if the rapprochement of a country to the EU were to be blocked due to a dispute over a name”, State Secretary Lopatka said during the negotiation of EU expansion at ministerial level. “The European Commission has suggested no fewer than four times to initiate negotiations as Macedonia has taken all the preliminary steps that were required. If we continue to procrastinate, the EU will lose its credibility and the states of Southeast Europe will lose faith in the necessity of further reforms. We do not want to get caught up in this spiral of negativity. For this reason, I will today speak out in favour of starting negotiations.” “We welcome the accession of Croatia which will join the EU as its 28th member state on 1 July 2013. However, Austria also wants the other states of the Western B...

Foreign Minister Nikola Poposki held talks Tuesday with representatives of Macedonian Orthodox Church Communities (MPCO) in Australia, discussing a possibility for Macedonian organizations in the diaspora to submit application to MoFA for realization of projects for studying the Macedonian language, promoting the Macedonian culture and folklore, as well as opening of Macedonian cultural centers. Poposki expressed satisfaction with the successful integration of Macedonian community in all segments of Australia’s society. He also highlighted the respect of Australia’s federal authorities of the right of national self-determination and nourishment of the Macedonian identity, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said in a press release. Poposki hailed the activities of Macedonian organizations in Australia, which resulted in abashment of the so-called ‘Slavic-Macedonian directive’ and re-establishing after 18 years of the Macedonian community term in the communication with the...

The proper networking ICT infrastructure, staff produced by ICT faculties, and companies' experience represent prerequisites for increased development of the software section of the Macedonian market. Analyses of the Faculty of Computer Science and Engineering (FINKI) have shown that a dozen of Macedonian IT companies have developed successful products sold at markets abroad, which is considered a new dimension of the national software market. "FINKI and other IT faculties produce quality staff, who represent the foundation of the IT industry growth, especially in the section of software development. According to our recent analysis, there are several Macedonian companies which have reached the level of creating their own products set for sale at markets worldwide", FINKI Dean Dimitar Trajanov told MIA. According to him, a proper networking infrastructure, including the developed broadband internet, enables the software development companies' success at ...

Der griechischer EU-Botschafter Théodoros Sotiropoulos sorgt bei einer Brüsseler Diplomatenverhandlung über die mazedonische Namensfrage für einen Eklat. Ohrenzeugen bestätigten den Zwischenfall. Eine Verhandlung der 27 nationalen EU-Botschafter über den Umgang mit Mazedonien ist am vergangenen Freitag spätabends völlig entglitten, wie „Die Presse“ am Montag erfahren hat. Als Walter Grahammer, der Ständige Vertreter Österreichs bei der EU, einen von 14 Mitgliedstaaten getragenen Kompromissvorschlag vortrug, erhob sich sein griechisches Pendant Théodoros Sotiropoulos und sagte auf Deutsch, dass Österreich kein Imperium mehr sei und somit dem Balkan nicht mehr einfach seine Politik oktroyieren könne. Weder Grahammer noch Sotiropoulos waren am Montag zu einer Stellungnahme für die „Presse“ bereit; mehrere Ohrenzeugen bestätigten aber den Zwischenfall. „Der zypriotische Botschafter hat die Sitzung dann sofort abgebrochen“, sagte ein Teilnehmer. „Es war da ja auch schon fast M...

Ausländer, die nicht weniger als 400.000 Euro in die Wirtschaft Mazedoniens investieren sowie mindestens zehn Arbeitsplätze schaffen, sollen die mazedonische Staatsbürgerschaft erhalten, teilt die Landesregierung auf ihrer Webseite mit. Ausgenommen von dieser Regelung sind Investitionen in Hotelbusiness und Handel. EU- bzw. OECD-Bürger (Organisation für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung), die Immobilien in Mazedonien erworben haben, dürfen von nun an das ganze Jahr über im Land bleiben, heißt es in der Mitteilung. Nach der bisher gültigen Ordnung dürfen sich ausländische Immobilienbesitzer höchstens drei Monate lang ununterbrochen und nicht mehr als insgesamt sechs Monate im Jahr in dem südosteuropäischen Staat aufhalten. Laut dem Regierungssprecher Alexander Gorgiev soll der Immobilienkauf durch Ausländer in Mazedonien diverse Wirtschaftsbranchen, darunter Tourismus, Handel und das Hotelgeschäft positiv beeinflussen.

On the occasion of Human Rights Day, the United Macedonian Diaspora (UMD) calls upon the United Nations and the European Union to exert pressure on the governments of Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Kosovo, and Serbia to meet their international human rights obligations to all of their citizens, including their indigenous Macedonian communities. Since 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights became the bedrock of many constitutions around the world.  However, 64 years later, people everywhere are still struggling for their most basic civil rights, and not only under universally-acknowledged dictatorship regimes in the developing world, but also within European Union and NATO member states themselves, such as Greece. Since its establishment in 2004, UMD has been committed to protecting human rights for Macedonians as a core principle of its mission.  In 2005, UMD initiated a petition signed by over 100,000 individuals to bring an end to racial, ethnic and religious d...

Congressman Robert B. Aderholt (Republican-Alabama) became today the 19th member of Congress to join the Congressional Caucus on Macedonia and Macedonian-Americans (Macedonia Caucus). Aderholt is serving his eighth term representing Alabama’s 4th Congressional District, the United Macedonian Diaspora (UMD) said in a press release. Congressman Robert B. Aderholt has served as U.S. Representative since 1997. He is a member of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, which was founded in 1976 and monitors human rights in Central Asia and Europe. Congressman Aderholt is a member of the powerful House Committee on Appropriations, which has jurisdiction over funding the operation of the federal government. Congressman Aderholt is Chairman of the Subcommittee on Homeland Security and is also a member of the Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food and Drug Administration; and the Commerce, Justice and Science Subcommittees. "It is a great honor to have longstanding friend of Macedoni...

International seminar “Macedonian Days: 20 Years of Independence – Results and Perspectives” open Tuesday at the auditorium of the French National Institute of Oriental Languages and Civilizations (INALCO). The two-day seminar aims at academically reflecting Macedonia’s history since its independence, focusing on the country’s Euro-Atlantic integration, developments in society, culture and language. The seminar is organized by INALCO Macedonian Studies section, headed by professor Frosa Pejoska-Bouchreau. INALCO was founded in 1795 after the French Revolution and is now one of the country’s Grands établissements with a specialization in African, Asian, East European, Oceanian languages and civilisations. It is often colloquially called Langues O, an abbreviation for “Langues Orientales”. Over 90 languages are taught at the INALCO, covering Asian, African, eastern European, South Pacific, Finno-Ugric and native American languages, offering beginner classes as well as Mast...