Makedonien|Mazedonien News

Intensive construction on the highway Kichevo-Ohrid, is heavy investment of 374 million euro. Mounted are the main concrete bases and these days was conducted mining at Preseka. Chinese construction company “Sinohidro Limited” is performing the works and major subcontractors are Granit and Transmet. Major construction activities are concentrated in the village where Popoec and it is hardest penetration of the route. Besides the Chinese workers engaged in the building large number of workers from Ohrid and Struga region. Highway Kichevo-Ohrid should be 56 kilometers long and is expected to be completed in four and half years.

American intelligence agency CIA of its site has released the latest document according to which Yugoslavia for decades successfully hid the production of chemical weapons.  According to this document, which is called "The discovery of chemical weapons program in the Balkans," CIA agent writes that he in 1996, on the spot in Macedonia assured that there during the SFRY occurred the secret tests of chemical weapons and that he found laboratories hidden in bunkers. The agent during the war in former Yugoslavia sought the chemical weapons which were previously produced near Mostar. He said from sources in Zagreb he learned that such a plant existed in Bijelo Polje near Mostar. He estimates that Yugoslavia had developed offensive chemical weapons for attack and defense and that he in Croatian Ministry of Defence has received confirmation that Yugoslavia 40 years away from the eyes of the world developed the program with gas, grenades, rockets, bombs ... They even l...

Der Kommissar für Industrie und Unternehmertum, Ferdinando Nelli Feroci, hat heute ein Abkommen mit der Republik Mazedonien unterzeichnet, für die Aufnahme in das EU-Programm für die Wettbewerbsfähigkeit von Unternehmen und für kleine und mittlere Unternehmen (COSME) (2014-2020) formalisiert wird.  Das COSME-Programm ist mit Mitteln in Höhe von insgesamt 2,3 Mrd. EUR ausgestattet. Sein Ziel besteht darin, die unternehmerische Initiative und die unternehmerische Kultur zu fördern, den Zugang kleiner und mittlerer Unternehmen (KMU) zu Finanzmitteln und Märkten zu verbessern und die Wettbewerbsfähigkeit insbesondere von KMU zu stärken. Ferdinando Nelli Feroci, Kommissar für Industrie und Unternehmertum, erklärte dazu: „Im Vergleich zu den Wirtschaftsriesen USA, Indien und China ist der gemeinsame europäische Wirtschaftsraum noch verhältnismäßig klein und fragmentiert. Wir verfolgen das Ziel, den Binnenmarkt zu vollenden und mit den an die EU angrenzenden Ländern Hindernisse für...

The policy for attracting is one of the most successful. Before the elections, 17 companies reported their investment and so far 6 more companies reported their decisions and another 6 brought internal decisions, and 2 decided to expand its facilities. Investors who before the elections announced that will invest in Macedonia are actively working on opening or preparation of new factories. Among them are “Dijatek” from Italy, “Veibo Group” Turkish, Ukrainian, “Energy”, “Markart” from Germany, writes Lider. What kind of companies will invest and where? -The six companies that have decided to invest are Montand Group from Italy, which have announced construction of plant in Skopje TIRZ 1 for production of dampers for heavy vehicles, in the amount of 100 million euro with 100 employees, but with potential of up to 400 jobs, as well as “Match Group” the Turkish agricultural company that bought agricultural land and plans to build a redeemed center and to invest in agriculture. “...

In the first eight months of 2014 was almost reached the level of realized export on annual base for 2013, which was 760 million euro for export from TIRZ, said Viktor Mizo, director of the zones in the statement for Vecher. Total 750 million euro were exported by the foreign investors operating in the free zones in the first eight months of this year. That means, only for eight months this year was reached amount that the export free zones had for 2013. As Vecher reports, according to the Directorate for Technological Industrial Development Zones, export zones from the beginning of 2014 has noticed continued growth. -The exports growth is due to the fact that we have new companies that are functional and which in 2013 still did not work as companies, “Van Hall” in Skopje 2, “Johnson Controls” in Shtip, the second phase of the “Johnson Matthey” in Skopje 1, the larger production of “Kemet”, but there has also been dramatic increase in exports of “Teknohoze” said the Di...

Mazedonien plant bis Jahresende die Schaltung einer Ausschreibung für den Bau einer Bahnstrecke im Osten des Landes. Es handelt es sich dabei um die zweite Phase zur Schaffung einer Ost-West-Verbindung in Richtung Bulgarien entlang des Europäischen Verkehrskorridors VIII. Dieser zweite Abschnitt sieht den Neubau einer 34 km langen Strecke zwischen Beljakovce und Kriva Palanka vor. Die Arbeiten sollen im September 2015 beginnen, die Kosten werden früheren Meldungen zufolge mit rund 145 Mio. EUR veranschlagt. Die erste Phase, der Bau einer 30,8 km langen Strecke zwischen Kumanovo und Beljakovce, ist bereits angelaufen, die dritte Phase sieht den Bau einer 24 km langen Bahnstrecke von Kriva Palanka nach Gyueshevo in Bulgarien vor. Quelle- eurailpress

President Gjorge Ivanov attended on Tuesday the reception his U.S. counterpart Barack Obama organised in New York for the heads of the delegations at the UN General Assembly. During their conversation, Ivanov said, Obama confirmed his country’s support for the realisation of Macedonia’s national priorities, primarily NATO membership. “The reception traditionally held by the U.S. President for the heads of the delegations at the UN General Assembly is always an opportunity to meet many friends we have in the UN member-states, as well as an opportunity for brief meetings with President Obama. So, I used this opportunity at the reception for a brief conversation with Obama, asking him for support and help, primarily for the Republic of Macedonia’s NATO membership. His answer was that the United States continues with the support and help it has been providing to Macedonia in the future, too, and that we can count on their help also for what is most urgent for us – the NATO membership,” ...

Instead of making investments in new projects that would bring growth, export, and more jobs, the Macedonian firms feel safer to keep their money in banks, daily Utrinski reads. The companies’ bank deposits in August grew for some incredible EUR 60 million. This is an excellent jump in saving, bringing money to the banks, but the fact that the firms decide to keep their money on their accounts, waiting to get interest from them is baffling. In the past period, the companies mainly withdrew their money from the banks to be able to tackle their liquidation problems, pay off salaries and return old debts. This was particularly frequent practice in the past several years when the deposits of the business sector were decreasing monthly, however this year, they are moving upwards in general. The question that is imposing is why the firms, when they have more means available, keep their money in the bank instead of investing them in new projects, machines, plants?

Construction in recent years has increased and is increasing its share in the GDP. According to the Economic Chamber of Macedonia, the sector are more engaged in civil engineering and the companies are doing well and are creating jobs. This was stated at the today’s press conference on the situation in the construction industry, at which was pointed out that the construction itself pulls the other branches, which contribute to their development. The greatest burdens carry medium and large businesses with 20 to 2,000 employees. - I am glad to note that construction is engaged in civil engineering, almost evenly throughout the country, which was our commitment at the road Smokvica -Demir Kapija as well as part of Corridor 10, highway from Miladinovci to Shtip and Kichevo to Ohrid. This is the advantage we seek, fast flow of goods and services, said today at the press conference Maria Petroska from the Construction Association at the Chamber of Commerce. According to her, the...

Die UEFA hat heute die Spielorte für die Fußball-EM 2020 bekannt gegeben. Die Bewerbung von Makedoniens Hauptstadt Skopje wurde nicht von der UEFA nicht gezogen. Makedoniens Fußball Fans hofften vergeblich auf den Zuschlag, schon im Vorfeld als die UEFA das Protokoll über die Spielorte veröffentlichte platzte der Traum von der Europameisterschaft in Skopje. In dem Bericht wurde Makedoniens Nationalstadion für zu klein empfunden, auch Sanitäre Anlagen und VIP Plätze sollen gefehlt haben - als auch die Infrastruktur wurde bemängelt. Siehe ARTIKEL auf unserem Blog. Neben Skopje wurden ebenfalls nicht berücksichtigt: Cardiff (Wales), Minsk (Weißrussland), Sofia (Bulgarien), Stockholm (Schweden) und Jerusalem (Israel)

The Macedonian national football team dropped by a record 36 spots, from 76 to 112, at the latest FIFA rankings. The drop results from the loss to Spain in the first round of the Euro qualifiers, but also a long list of very poor results in the matches played over the past year. Macedonia's Men's team is begining to look more like the women's national team who haven't registered a win in a decade and are ranked 125 in the world.  Regarding our qualifying group opponents, Spain is 8th, followed by the Ukraine-24, Slovakia-40, Belarus-89 and Luxembourg-127. World champions Germany top the list, followed by World Cup finalist Argentina and third-placed Netherlands. The top 10 also includes Belgium, Brazil, Uruguay, Spain, France and Switzerland.

Macedonian economy this year will grow by 3 percents, it is written in the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development for the economy in Southeast Europe’s report. Macedonia and Kosovo, this and next 2015 will note the largest growth among the countries in the region, EBRD forecast. Macedonian economy is predicted to grow by 3 percents. EBRD revised projections for GDP growth of most countries in the region. Serbia and Croatia this year will be in recession by -0.5 percent, Bosnia and Herzegovina rather than previously forecasted 1.8 will have growth of 0.2 percent, projection for Bulgaria is reduced from 1.9 to 1.5, and Albania and Montenegro will grow by 1.7 percents and 3. Bank revised the projection for the entire region from 2.2 to 1.9 percents.

Macedonia is warming up to the idea of building a regional north-south high-speed railroad, which in its final stage would link Solun to Budapest via Skopje and Belgrade. If Macedonia signs up to the plan revealed last week by the Serbian Prime Minister, Aleksandar Vucic, “we will have to completely redo all of our existing lines along the corridor 10. There is no question about it,” a high ranking source in Macedonian Railways - Infrastructure, a state-owned enterprise, told MINA. In 2012, Macedonia launched a major project to reconstruct its main railway lines as part of the north-south pan-European transport corridor 10, using mostly European pre-accession development, IPA funds.

As part of the "St. Clement of Ohrid" University, today a new Faculty of Information and Communication Technologies (FIKT) was opened in Bitola. The study program comprises subjects from the current programs from the technical faculty and the faculty of administration and management of information systems, but it will also feature new subjects.

Am Freitag finden in Dublin gleich zwei Auslosungen statt: Die Qualifikationsgruppen für die U17-EM der weiblichen Jugend in Makedonien sowie für die U19-Europameisterschaft der Juniorinnen in Spanien werden im Rahmen des EHF-Kongresses ausgelost.  Die Jugend-EM wird vom 13. bis 23. August 2015 in Makedonien gespielt. Es treten 33 Teams in sechs Vierer-Gruppen und drei Gruppen mit je drei Mannschaften gegeneinander an, wobei Gastgeber Makedonien bereits direkt qualifiziert ist. In Lostopf eins befinden sich ausschließlich Topteams, sie belegten bei der vergangenen EM 2013 die Plätze eins bis neun.  Die Qualifikationsturniere werden vom 20. bis 22. März 2015 gespielt. 

Senior men's national team of Macedonia has confirmed the participation at the tournament in Nantes, France, at the beginning of January 2015 which will be a general inspection before the appearance at the WC in Qatar.  . Coach Ivica Obrvan will have two extremely strong checks at the tournament where will participate and host France, Algeria and Russia. According to the program, provided are two games for the Macedonian team. In the semifinals Macedonia on January 9 will play with France, on the next day, 10 January, with Algeria or Russia, depending on the place we will fight. The winners of the semi meetings will play in the final and defeated for third place. 

Am kommenden Freitag wir die UEFA die Spielorte für die erstmals in mehreren Ländern stattfindenden Fußball EM 2020 bekannt geben. Skopje hatte sich ebenfalls mit dem Stadion Filip II of Macedon Arena beworben. Stadionwelt.de macht den Bewerbung-Check: Mazedonien: Mazedonien ist die wohl größte Unbekannte unter den Bewerbern. Eine größere Fußballveranstaltung hat man bisher noch nicht ausgerichtet und sportlich glänzen ohnehin mehr die Handballer. Die Evaluation der UEFA fällt eher negativ aus. Mazedonien hat sich ebenfalls für das Standardpaket beworben. Das Stadion Philip II Arena hat eine Zuschauerkapazität von 32.483 und wird von den beiden Stadtvereinen Vardar und Rabotnicki genutzt. Es wurde im Jahr 2011 runderneuert und zählt zu den modernsten Stadien in der Balkan-Region. Jedoch gibt es weiterhin einige nicht-überdachte Plätze, was den Richtlinien der UEFA widerspricht. Außerdem sind nicht genügend Sanitäranlagen und VIP-Plätze vorhanden. Das Stadion müsste also erne...

Du verlierst Deinen Geldbeutel auf der Straße beim gehen. Was denkst Du wie die Reaktionen der Passanten in Skopje sind?

Balkan Bike Festival will take place between 19 and 21st of September 2014 in Skopje, Republic of Macedonia. For more info please visit www.balkanbikefestival.com The first Balkan Bike Festival will take place between 19 and 21st of September 2014 in Skopje, and will comprise numerous cycling events: starting with the Balkan MountainBike Championship, an international UCI competition, the BMX championship of Macedonia, a recreational-competitive marathon on the slopes of Vodno, prize draws and lots of fun.

GDP growth in the second quarter of this year is 4.3 percents, according to the Macedonian State Statistical Office. The increase, as today said at the press conference Verka Panova, Head of the Department for national accounts, is due primarily to the growth of private consumption. The investment growth was recorded in fixed assets, and stocks in the industry. Statistics recorded small increase in public spending and an increase is noted in imports and exports. In the first quarter of 2014, the growth rate of GDP was 3.9 percents. SSO today at the press conference promoted activity on the occasion of the annual revision of the national accounts data from 2000 to 2012 as part of the implementation of the new methodology with the European Statistical System ESS 2010. As informed Panova, audit of annual data from 2000 to 2012 included new methodology based on improved sources – extensive data from the Public Revenue Office, Ministry of Finance and from statistic research...

At the meeting held yesterday in Skopje, regulators from Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Albania and Turkey, agreed that early next year, the citizens from these countries will equalize prices for phone calls in roaming and domestic traffic. This agreement does not require approval by the operators, as it was agreed the signatory countries to amend its laws on electronic communications. Agreement was adopted by the initiatives of Serbia, Montenegro, and Macedonia, so that these three countries would have the same status as roaming in the European Union.

Football Federation of Macedonia realized another serious project that should further serve to promote, develop and improve the quality of Super league football, with the establishment of the First League for B teams.  . Today at FFM was made ​​ lots for B teams championship, which will start on September 16 and will be played every Tuesday. For this championship teams reported 6 clubs: Vardar Skendija, Rabotnicki, Metalurg, Sileks and Pelister. The fall season will have two rounds (home-stay) and will lasts until Dec. 12. 

The State Statistical Office will present Friday the GDP data on the second quarter of 2014, as well as the results from the revision of data in the field of national accounts and implementation of the new methodology of the European Statistical System 2010. According to the information, the GDP has marked a rise of 3.9% in Q1 whereas the 2014 projection stands at 3.5%.

During an economic visit to Azerbaijan, Macedonian Vice Prime Minister and Finance Minister Zoran Stavreski said on Tuesday his country is interested in partnering with the nation on the Trans Adriatic Pipeline project. “Once the project is ready, we will express our intention to participate in it as a partner and will hold discussions,” Stavreski said. Construction on the pipeline, meant to transport gas from the Caspian Sea to Western Europe through Greece, Albania, the Adriatic Sea and western Italy, is scheduled to start in 2016. Stavreski added that he hopes additional ties between Azerbaijan and Macedonia can develop in tourism, production and the processing of agricultural projects. “Despite the fact that last year the two countries signed two agreements on double taxation avoidance and investment promotion, the ties between Azerbaijan and Macedonia stand at a low level in these areas,” Stavreski said. “And the purpose of our visit is to develop bilateral relati...

Die Telekom wird Anbieter von Mozillas mobilem Betriebssystem Firefox OS in Makedonien. Mozillas Betriebssystem für Mobilgeräte wird in Makedonien über die Deutsche Telekom aktiv und wird über die T-Mobile-Marke ab sofort das Alcatel One Touch Fire C vertreiben.

Ein großes Polizeiaufgebot konnte heute am Bit Pazar gesehen werden. Beamte und Inspektoren räumten illegale Stände am Bit Pazar entlang der Boulevards Goce Delchev und Petko Misirkov ab.  Im Winter kam es bei einer ähnlichen Aktion zu leichte Auseinandersetzungen, als die Polizei illegale Feuerwerk-Händler aushob.

NATO recognised Macedonia under its constitutional name at an official ceremony, while the Greek Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos ”is sleeping”, Greek media comment on the occasion of a meeting between NATO representatives and officers of the army of the Republic of Macedonia, on whose uniforms ”Macedonia” could be read, Macedonian online news edition Vecer writes. According to Greek media, it is scandalous neither NATO nor the Greek government responded to that. The Greek media criticise the Foreign Minister that he ”is sleeping” while Macedonia is attempting to realise its strategy.

Die erste Niederlage im ersten EM Qualifikationsspiel stand, wieder mal, für Makedonien an. In Valencia gegen Spanien gab es für die Luchse nichts zu holen, am Ende stand ein 1:5 (1:3) auf der Anzeigetafel. EM-Titelverteidiger Spanien war am Montagabend von Anfang an hellwach und hatte gute Chancen in Minutentakt, jedoch erst ein schmeichelhafter Elfmeter sorgte für die Führung durch Ramos. Als die Spanier nur eine Minute darauf auf 2:0 erhöhten sahen schon viele den Untergang der Makedonier herbeikommen, die sich jedoch fangen konnten und einige gute Angriffe spielten und durch Ibrahimi per Elfmeter auf 1:2 verkürzen konnten. Knackpunkt war aber das Tor durch Busquets unmittelbar nach ablaufen der Nachspielzeit mit dem Halbzeitpfiff. Davon konnten sich die Männer um Neu-Trainer Boshko Gjurovski nicht mehr erholen und hatten in der zweiten Halbzeit nichts mehr den Spaniern entgegen zu setzen. Die Spanier schossen sich den WM-Frust von der Seele. Sergio Ramos (15./Elfmeter), ...

In the period January – July 2014, trade between Macedonia and abroad is  7,085,005,000 USD. The total value of exported goods from Macedonia in that period is 2.834.158.000 USD and the import 4,250,247,000 USD. Import coverage by export was 66.7%. State Office for Statistics today announced that trade deficit in the period January to July this year, is 1,416,089,000 USD. Trade by product shows that exports is the mostly represented by catalysts with precious metal or precious metal compounds, nickel, sets of ignition wires, etc., for vehicles, aircraft or ships, iron and steel (rolled products) and clothes. At the imports are present crude oil, platinum and platinum alloys, unwrought or in powder, electricity and other metals of the platinum group and their alloys, unwrought or in powder form. In the period January to July 2014, most important trade partners are member states of the EU 28, with 78 percents and the Western Balkans with 13.6 percents. And th...

According to the latest report of the World Economic Forum Macedonia is on the 63 place on the list of competitiveness. This is climb of 10 places compared to the previous year when it was ranked on 73 place. From the countries in the region, Montenegro is on 67 place, Slovenia on 70 place, Croatia on 77 place, Greece on 81 place, Serbia on 94 and Albania on 97 place. According to the report of the World Forum for 2014-2015, the economic index of competitiveness for Macedonia is 4.26 on scale from 1 to 7. The most competitive of 144 ranked countries in the world is Switzerland, followed by Singapore, USA, Finland, Germany, Japan, Hong Kong, Netherlands, UK, and Sweden.

Das makedonische Finanzministerium zieht in die lang erwartete neue Residenz. Auf über 14.000 m² stehen den Finanzbeamten neue Räumlichkeiten mit modernster Technologie zur Verfügung, die auf 11 Stockwerke verteilt sind. Aus den Reihen der Opposition wird "Verschwendung und Megalomanie" vorgeworfen, die Regierung kontert "das dies nicht verwundere das die Opposition so reagiere, da bis heute jemand aus diesen Reihen monatlich 600.000€ Miete vom Finanzministerium kassierte und diese ab heute schmerzlich missen werde".