If we need to make an ultimate choice - NATO membership or change of country's name - we will stand behind the name, Macedonian President Branko Crvenkovski said in an interview for Alsat-M TV.
Greece's eventual veto on Macedonia's admission to NATO would mean a blatant breach of the 1995 interim treaty, consequently, this document would not be in effect for the Republic of Macedonia as well, President Crvenkovski said.
He estimates that both Macedonia and Greece undergo a pressure to reach a solution to name dispute.
"Pressure is piled on both countries. Our country has been urged to be more constructive towards Greece, whilst Greece has been urged not to use the veto powers," Crvenkovski said.
Asked to comment the so-called "May agreement" between VMRO-DPMNE and DUI, President Trajkovski said any agreement should be complied with, and the obligations arising from the agreement should be fulfilled.
Crvenkovski blamed the government of wasting precious time in terms of reaching agreement with opposition parties over pivotal issues. Therefore, the country did not get a starting date of EU accession talks.
"Some saw the ratings more important than showing co-operation in bridging the obstacles," Crvenkovski told Alsat-M TV.
Friday, December 28, 2007
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Macedonia urges Greece not to block its NATO bid over name dispute, wants high-level talks
Macedonia urged Greece Tuesday not to block its NATO accession bid over a long-running dispute over its name, and called for high-level talks to resolve the problem.
Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki said NATO-member Greece's right to use its veto if there is no agreement on the name issue "is the same as having the right to a nuclear weapon."
"I believe Greece is a serious state, which will think twice before deciding to use such an option," Milososki said.
It was the strongest statement so far from Macedonia, which has staked much on its bid to join NATO, accelerating anti-corruption and human rights reforms requested by the alliance.
The name dispute has soured relations between the two Balkan neighbors — and strong trading partners — since Macedonia gained independence from Yugoslavia in 1991. Greece says Macedonia's name could imply territorial claims on its own northern region of Macedonia, and insists on calling the country the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
A senior foreign ministry official said Tuesday that Milososki had written to his Greek counterpart, Dora Bakoyannis, proposing to meet for direct negotiations.
Greek and Macedonian diplomats will hold United Nations-supervised talks next month in Skopje, with a second round of talks scheduled shortly afterward in Athens. But the new proposal would seek to fast-track the process.
"The idea is for the foreign ministers of both countries to meet twice a year," the Macedonian official told the Associated Press on condition of anonymity, due to the sensitivity of the issue. "It is unnatural for neighboring countries to have contacts on all matters except for political issues."
The official said there has been no response so far from Greece.
Croatia, Albania and Macedonia are all hoping to receive invitations to join the alliance at a NATO summit in April in the Romanian capital, Bucharest.
Macedonia is officially referred to as the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia at the U.N. and other international bodies. But more than 100 countries — including the U.S. Russia and Canada — have recognized it as Macedonia.
Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki said NATO-member Greece's right to use its veto if there is no agreement on the name issue "is the same as having the right to a nuclear weapon."
"I believe Greece is a serious state, which will think twice before deciding to use such an option," Milososki said.
It was the strongest statement so far from Macedonia, which has staked much on its bid to join NATO, accelerating anti-corruption and human rights reforms requested by the alliance.
The name dispute has soured relations between the two Balkan neighbors — and strong trading partners — since Macedonia gained independence from Yugoslavia in 1991. Greece says Macedonia's name could imply territorial claims on its own northern region of Macedonia, and insists on calling the country the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
A senior foreign ministry official said Tuesday that Milososki had written to his Greek counterpart, Dora Bakoyannis, proposing to meet for direct negotiations.
Greek and Macedonian diplomats will hold United Nations-supervised talks next month in Skopje, with a second round of talks scheduled shortly afterward in Athens. But the new proposal would seek to fast-track the process.
"The idea is for the foreign ministers of both countries to meet twice a year," the Macedonian official told the Associated Press on condition of anonymity, due to the sensitivity of the issue. "It is unnatural for neighboring countries to have contacts on all matters except for political issues."
The official said there has been no response so far from Greece.
Croatia, Albania and Macedonia are all hoping to receive invitations to join the alliance at a NATO summit in April in the Romanian capital, Bucharest.
Macedonia is officially referred to as the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia at the U.N. and other international bodies. But more than 100 countries — including the U.S. Russia and Canada — have recognized it as Macedonia.
Macedonia urges Greece to drop accession threat over name dispute
Macedonia linked Greece's threat to using its veto right to block Macedonia's NATO bid to the use of nuclear weapon on Tuesday, news reaching here from Skopje reported.
"To have the right of veto is the same as having the right to a nuclear weapon. I believe Greece is a serious country, and it will think twice before leap," Macedonian Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki said.
Greece has threatened to use its NATO-member status to veto Macedonia's accession efforts at the NATO's next spring summit in Bucharest, Romania, if there is no agreement on the name issue by then.
The name dispute between Macedonia and Greece broke out shortly after Macedonia gained independence from Yugoslavia in 1991. Greece has said the country's name, the Republic of Macedonia, implies a territorial claim over the northern Greek province of Macedonia and could destabilize the region.
Instead, it asks Macedonia to use the name of "Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" or FYROM in short, under which the country joined the U.N. in 1993, otherwise Greece would block Macedonia's NATO and European Union aspirations.
U.N. special envoy Matthew Nimetz announced at the beginning of this month that new meetings between the two countries' negotiators are set to take place early next year in the two countries' capitals, with the first in Skopje and the second in Athens shortly after.
Macedonia fuels row between Greece and Turkey
Skopje. Macedonia has fueled the row between Greece and Turkey, the Macedonian Vreme newspaper writes.
Greece’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Dora Bakoyannis has reacted sharply to the statement made by Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who during Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski’s visit to Turkey supported Macedonia’s stand in the name debate.
“Turkey, as well as all other NATO members, has been informed as to when and in what conditions Greece will use its right to veto,” said Dora Bakoyannis.
Greece’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Dora Bakoyannis has reacted sharply to the statement made by Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who during Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski’s visit to Turkey supported Macedonia’s stand in the name debate.
“Turkey, as well as all other NATO members, has been informed as to when and in what conditions Greece will use its right to veto,” said Dora Bakoyannis.
Monday, December 24, 2007
Policeman shot dead amid banal quarrel
A member of police task force was gunned down and a member of rapid deployment unit was injured in armed incident this morning, police sources told Makfax news agency.
The cause of the incident, which happened Monday morning at Despina restaurant in Skopje's district Michurin, was a banal quarrel among a few guests at the restaurant.
Vladimir Damcevski (26), a member of police task force "Tigers", was shot dead by S. M. (24), a member of rapid deployment unit. He was detained by police and has already admitted to killing Damcevski. The suspect confirmed that he had fired Damcevski's gun after the latter dropped it accidentally.
The suspect's brother E. M. (35), also member of rapid deployment unit, was injured. His condition is stable.
The cause of the incident, which happened Monday morning at Despina restaurant in Skopje's district Michurin, was a banal quarrel among a few guests at the restaurant.
Vladimir Damcevski (26), a member of police task force "Tigers", was shot dead by S. M. (24), a member of rapid deployment unit. He was detained by police and has already admitted to killing Damcevski. The suspect confirmed that he had fired Damcevski's gun after the latter dropped it accidentally.
The suspect's brother E. M. (35), also member of rapid deployment unit, was injured. His condition is stable.
NATO preparing formula for the name of Macedonia
NATO is preparing a compromise formula for the name of the Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia, the Macedonian daily Vecer reports, citing an article in the Greek daily Kathimerini.
Meanwhile the report for the progress of the country in unfavorable, since Skopje has not yet met all the requirements for membership in the Alliance. There are comments, according to which the conclusion of the report could turn into a political decision and Skopje may not receive an invitation for membership in NATO in April next year.
Meanwhile the report for the progress of the country in unfavorable, since Skopje has not yet met all the requirements for membership in the Alliance. There are comments, according to which the conclusion of the report could turn into a political decision and Skopje may not receive an invitation for membership in NATO in April next year.
Monday, December 03, 2007
Macedonian police seize arms near Tetovo
The operation, carried out the day before on three locations near the village of Prsce, revealed 18 hand-held rocket launcher missiles and 33 gunpowder charges, hidden in two wooden crates and four sacks.
The village of Prsce is located in the same region where Dxavit Morina, a former KLA commander, who escaped from the Dubrava prison, near Istok, Kosovo, last August, was killed a few weeks ago.
In the same region, police operation Mountain Storm was carried out two weeks ago, when six members of an Albanian armed gang were killed and more than a dozen arrested, while weapons seized on that occasion were "enough to arm 650 men" according to the Macedonian MUP.
Op Mountain Storm also left Ramadan Shiti, another Dubrava escapee, dead, while fugitive Lirim Jakupi managed to escape.
The village of Prsce is located in the same region where Dxavit Morina, a former KLA commander, who escaped from the Dubrava prison, near Istok, Kosovo, last August, was killed a few weeks ago.
In the same region, police operation Mountain Storm was carried out two weeks ago, when six members of an Albanian armed gang were killed and more than a dozen arrested, while weapons seized on that occasion were "enough to arm 650 men" according to the Macedonian MUP.
Op Mountain Storm also left Ramadan Shiti, another Dubrava escapee, dead, while fugitive Lirim Jakupi managed to escape.
British citizens accuses Macedonian Minister of fraud
Skopje. A British citizen lodged a complaint against Macedonian Minister for Foreign Investment Gligor Taskovic and against Ferki Demirovski who was until recently working in the cabinet of the minister, accusing them of misuse of power and of fraud, the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDUM) informed yesterday, Macedonian paper Vreme writes. The fraud was concerning the sale-trade of real estate, made by Ferki Demirovski.
Gligor Taskovic said that he’d sue SDUM for slander.
Gligor Taskovic said that he’d sue SDUM for slander.
Police identifies two victims in Skopje shootout
The two killed in today's shooting in downtown Skopje have been identified as Andrej Filip and Novica Blagojevic, while the motive is most likely unpaid debt.
The incident occurred after a quarrel that broke out between Filip and Blagojevic on one side and the shooter, who managed to grab the weapon from his vehicle and gun down the two men before taking off.
Police investigation is under way.
The double murder took place at about 14:00 hrs on Thursday at the section of the Ilinden Boulevard between the City Zoo and the US Embassy.
The incident occurred after a quarrel that broke out between Filip and Blagojevic on one side and the shooter, who managed to grab the weapon from his vehicle and gun down the two men before taking off.
Police investigation is under way.
The double murder took place at about 14:00 hrs on Thursday at the section of the Ilinden Boulevard between the City Zoo and the US Embassy.
5-year-old boy dies under truck wheel
A five-year-old boy died Tuesday morning at about 8:40 hrs in Tetovo, after a truck owned by public utilities enterprise "Tetovo" driven by M.A., 49, run him down.
After picking up waste materials at the loading point located near the railway station, the driver set off, when he heard yelling from the passers-by to stop immediately as they saw the victim Jashko Rahimi going under the right rear wheel.
Little Rahimi died on the spot. The child's parents live in Kumanovo, but they left their son at the house of their relatives in Tetovo, located near the railway station.
After inspection conducted by a prosecutor and an investigative judge, the case was registered as an accident.
After picking up waste materials at the loading point located near the railway station, the driver set off, when he heard yelling from the passers-by to stop immediately as they saw the victim Jashko Rahimi going under the right rear wheel.
Little Rahimi died on the spot. The child's parents live in Kumanovo, but they left their son at the house of their relatives in Tetovo, located near the railway station.
After inspection conducted by a prosecutor and an investigative judge, the case was registered as an accident.
Macedonian student dies in Slovenia
23-year-old Nikolce Murgovski, who studied IT technology at Slovenian college, was killed after falling from the top of a Cathedral Church in Maribor.
The accident took place last Saturday, while Murgovski worked on renovation of the Cathedral
as a part-time employee.
Pathology examination of the body established that the lung and head injuries Murgovski sustained in the fall proved fatal for him.
"Macedonian Embassy in Ljubljana received a notification on the case from the Slovenian Interior Ministry. After conducting inspection at the site and receiving the pathologist's report, the police found the death was accidental, " said Saso Kokalanov from the Macedonian Foreign Ministry.
The remains of Nikolce Murgovski's were transported to Bitola today and the funeral will take place at Bitola's cemetery on Thursday.
The accident took place last Saturday, while Murgovski worked on renovation of the Cathedral
as a part-time employee.
Pathology examination of the body established that the lung and head injuries Murgovski sustained in the fall proved fatal for him.
"Macedonian Embassy in Ljubljana received a notification on the case from the Slovenian Interior Ministry. After conducting inspection at the site and receiving the pathologist's report, the police found the death was accidental, " said Saso Kokalanov from the Macedonian Foreign Ministry.
The remains of Nikolce Murgovski's were transported to Bitola today and the funeral will take place at Bitola's cemetery on Thursday.
Greece’s offensive gains international support
Skopje. Several months ago changing the name of Alexander The Great Airport and the declaration for good will and good neighborly relations that obliged Macedonia to have no claims of any kind towards Greece would help Athens to save its image in the eyes of country’s publicity, to announce victory and not to threaten to block the Macedonian membership in NATO, the Macedonian Dnevnik daily reads.
Now it is late, as Greeks have gone too far with threats and diplomatic offensive for which they are internationally supported when the issue is about the name of the airport. Greece considers Macedonia did not recognize the new process stage for finding a compromise in the issue for the name that started on November 1st 2007 in New York, the daily marked.
Now it is late, as Greeks have gone too far with threats and diplomatic offensive for which they are internationally supported when the issue is about the name of the airport. Greece considers Macedonia did not recognize the new process stage for finding a compromise in the issue for the name that started on November 1st 2007 in New York, the daily marked.
Macedonia's economic growth should reach 5 pct this year, next year - IMF
he International Monetary Fund said Macedonia's economic performance has been strong and growth this year and next should reach 5 pct.
The fiscal position continues to strengthen, international reserves are increasing, and central bank interest rates remain low. Despite higher food prices, average inflation should stay low, at around 2 pct this year and 3 pct in 2008, the IMF said.
The government's budget for 2008 will safeguard macroeconomic stability. Despite ambitious plans to cut personal and corporate income taxes, make selective cuts in VAT, increase spending on pensions, public investment in roads and education, and government wages, the budget should deliver the deficit target of 1.5 pct of GDP, the IMF said.
Many structural reforms are also being implemented. The government and central bank have submitted their revised central bank law to the European Central Bank and to the European Commission for review. The new law strengthens the financial soundness of the National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia, and reaffirms the government's commitment to safeguarding the bank's independence, the IMF said.
The energy sector's financial problems are also being addressed. Starting from January, large electricity users will purchase all their needs at market prices, which will remove the need for a budget subsidy to MEPSO, the electricity transmission company.
Matthew Nimitz wants an alternative decision from Skopje authorities
Skopje. Special UN Mediator in Macedonian name dispute between Athens and Skopje Matthew Nimitz will visit Macedonia and Greece in the beginning of next month, Macedonian paper Vecer writes. According to unnamed sources Nimitz will ask from the Macedonian authorities an alternative decision for this part of the suggestion which is disputed by Macedonia. Macedonian authorities rejected the clause of the proposal of Nimitz that the state agree with a name for international use different from the constitutional one so that there won’t be confusion between the names of the state and of the region in Greece, the paper writes.
Burns: Greece a 'crucial strategic ally' of the US
US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns called Greece a "strategic ally" of the United States, and outlined the common values and historical bonds between the two countries, while also lauding the role of the Greek American community, during a hearing on "US-Greece Relations and Regional Issues" in the House of Representatives foreign affairs committee's subcommittee on Europe in the US Congress on Wednesday.
Burns, a former US ambassador to Greece and the number three man in the US State Department, referred also to the FYROM name issue and US-Greece cooperation on such matters as nuclear arms non-proliferation, trafficking in persons, and environmental protection, with a special reference to the recent devastating wildfires in Greece and in the state of California.
On Kosovo, Burns said that the US was working towards a definitive settlement of the final status of the region, and backed the Ahtisaari plan, which he said provides for supervised independence for Kosovo, adding that in the event that an agreement was not achieved in the next two rounds of negotiations, which end on December 10, the US and other countries would not back further continuation of the talks and would "take their decisions" on the matter.
He also noted the progress in the procedures for including Greece in the US's visa waiver programme, stressing that the relations between the two countries were the best they have been in decades. "We have excellent relations with the prime minister Mr. (Costas) Karamanlis and the foreign minister Ms. (Dora) Bakoyannis, and we are grateful to both for their strong support for a closer US-Greek alliance," he said.
Burns added that the two countries were working together to promote peace and stability in Greece's neighbourhood, as well as in the wider Middle East "and beyond".
"We know that we can count on our Greek friends and allies, we know that we can face these challenges and that Greece can rely on us," he added.
Replying to questions by members of the subcommittee, Burns said that Greece was a "crucial strategic ally, with which the US fought together in all the major wars of the 20th century".
"Greece is a partner of the US in the front against global terrorism and contributes to the NATO effort in Afghanistan", while "it is also a key country, with strategic importance and deep knowledge of the developments in the Balkans, and a main investor" in Albania, FYROM and Serbia.
To a question on terrorism, Burns said that this was one of the issues that had been of concern in Greek-American relations. He stressed that Greece's efforts had produced a "dramatic improvement", referring the Greek authorities' disbanding of the 'November 17' and 'ELA' terrorist groups which, he noted, had killed members of the US (diplomatic) mission, while most of the victims of those organisations had been Greek citizens, among them the husband of the current foreign minister Bakoyannis (then ruling New Democracy party MP Pavlos Bakoyannis).
The two countries, he continued, are partners in Afghanistan, adding, however, that Greece should examine the prospect of stepping up the efforts in the southern and eastern parts of Afghanistan against the Taliban, with additional forces.
On the Cyprus issue, Burns reaffirmed that the US supported the efforts of the UN for a solution of the Cyprus problem on the basis of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation.
On FYROM, Burns said that it should not be "refused an invitation for NATO membership on any grounds save that of failure to fulfill the fundamental entry criteria".
He said that certain quarters in Greece were raising the prospect of a veto regarding an invitation to 'Macedonia' if the name issue is not resolved.
"Although the US agrees on the importance of resolving the name issue, it does not believe that only the difference over the name constitutes a reason for obstructing 'Macedonia's' accession to international organisations," he said, adding that the US supports the UN-brokered process under the UN secretary general's special mediator on the FYROM name issue Matthew Nimetz, and implementation of the 1995 Interim Agreement between the two countries which he said allowed 'Macedonia's' membership in regional and international organisations with the name of FYROM.
Burns also called on Skopje to display the necessary flexibility, noting Greece's sensitivities, which he said FYROM should take into consideration.
He further referred to what he called the "visionary policy" of Greek Prime Minister Karamanlis regarding Greek-Turkish relations, noting that there was no need for any US mediation between Athens and Ankara whatsoever, since relations between the two countries were steadily improving.
Burns also expressed his support for the re-opening of the Halki School of Theology and the need forf the Ecumenical Patriarch to freely exercise his duties, noting that the US governments of George Bush and his prede
Burns, a former US ambassador to Greece and the number three man in the US State Department, referred also to the FYROM name issue and US-Greece cooperation on such matters as nuclear arms non-proliferation, trafficking in persons, and environmental protection, with a special reference to the recent devastating wildfires in Greece and in the state of California.
On Kosovo, Burns said that the US was working towards a definitive settlement of the final status of the region, and backed the Ahtisaari plan, which he said provides for supervised independence for Kosovo, adding that in the event that an agreement was not achieved in the next two rounds of negotiations, which end on December 10, the US and other countries would not back further continuation of the talks and would "take their decisions" on the matter.
He also noted the progress in the procedures for including Greece in the US's visa waiver programme, stressing that the relations between the two countries were the best they have been in decades. "We have excellent relations with the prime minister Mr. (Costas) Karamanlis and the foreign minister Ms. (Dora) Bakoyannis, and we are grateful to both for their strong support for a closer US-Greek alliance," he said.
Burns added that the two countries were working together to promote peace and stability in Greece's neighbourhood, as well as in the wider Middle East "and beyond".
"We know that we can count on our Greek friends and allies, we know that we can face these challenges and that Greece can rely on us," he added.
Replying to questions by members of the subcommittee, Burns said that Greece was a "crucial strategic ally, with which the US fought together in all the major wars of the 20th century".
"Greece is a partner of the US in the front against global terrorism and contributes to the NATO effort in Afghanistan", while "it is also a key country, with strategic importance and deep knowledge of the developments in the Balkans, and a main investor" in Albania, FYROM and Serbia.
To a question on terrorism, Burns said that this was one of the issues that had been of concern in Greek-American relations. He stressed that Greece's efforts had produced a "dramatic improvement", referring the Greek authorities' disbanding of the 'November 17' and 'ELA' terrorist groups which, he noted, had killed members of the US (diplomatic) mission, while most of the victims of those organisations had been Greek citizens, among them the husband of the current foreign minister Bakoyannis (then ruling New Democracy party MP Pavlos Bakoyannis).
The two countries, he continued, are partners in Afghanistan, adding, however, that Greece should examine the prospect of stepping up the efforts in the southern and eastern parts of Afghanistan against the Taliban, with additional forces.
On the Cyprus issue, Burns reaffirmed that the US supported the efforts of the UN for a solution of the Cyprus problem on the basis of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation.
On FYROM, Burns said that it should not be "refused an invitation for NATO membership on any grounds save that of failure to fulfill the fundamental entry criteria".
He said that certain quarters in Greece were raising the prospect of a veto regarding an invitation to 'Macedonia' if the name issue is not resolved.
"Although the US agrees on the importance of resolving the name issue, it does not believe that only the difference over the name constitutes a reason for obstructing 'Macedonia's' accession to international organisations," he said, adding that the US supports the UN-brokered process under the UN secretary general's special mediator on the FYROM name issue Matthew Nimetz, and implementation of the 1995 Interim Agreement between the two countries which he said allowed 'Macedonia's' membership in regional and international organisations with the name of FYROM.
Burns also called on Skopje to display the necessary flexibility, noting Greece's sensitivities, which he said FYROM should take into consideration.
He further referred to what he called the "visionary policy" of Greek Prime Minister Karamanlis regarding Greek-Turkish relations, noting that there was no need for any US mediation between Athens and Ankara whatsoever, since relations between the two countries were steadily improving.
Burns also expressed his support for the re-opening of the Halki School of Theology and the need forf the Ecumenical Patriarch to freely exercise his duties, noting that the US governments of George Bush and his prede
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Another Greek metropolitan bishop wants piece of Macedonia
Just days after the scandalous statement of the Metropolitan Bishop of Thessaloniki Anthimos, another Greek Bishop - the Metropolitan of Galabryta Ambrosios, said that parts of Macedonia actually belonged to Greece.
"Since the attack is the best defense, the Metropolitan of Thessaloniki did very well. Skopje citizens rip the benefits of Monastery (Bitola) region, which is part of the Greek territory," the Greek media cited Ambrosios as saying.
"If Anthimos is a nationalist, then why is it improbable that some 'have sold' themselves to act in favor of foreign plans and interests," said the Greek Metropolitan's in his rhetorical question.
"Since the attack is the best defense, the Metropolitan of Thessaloniki did very well. Skopje citizens rip the benefits of Monastery (Bitola) region, which is part of the Greek territory," the Greek media cited Ambrosios as saying.
"If Anthimos is a nationalist, then why is it improbable that some 'have sold' themselves to act in favor of foreign plans and interests," said the Greek Metropolitan's in his rhetorical question.
Bold police raid left six dead at a delicate time
Hundreds attended the funeral of the two Albanians killed in a military-style police raid last week in the village of Brodec in western Macedonia in an incident which threatens to stir up ethnic tensions again. Mourners were cramped into a mosque and a street in the village to which access is made difficult by a narrow, cratered road.
The raid, in which helicopters swooped in, automatic gunfire rang out and altogether six men were killed and 13 arrested, enraged the Macedonian Albanians in Brodec.
The incident now threatens to renew and ignite ethnic tensions in the area that teetered on the verge of a civil war when Albanians launched an insurgency in 2001.
Police said they had targeted a gang of fugitives from a prison in Kosovo, across the nearby border in an area largely disregarded by the local Albanian population, during the raid.
But many of Brodec's 1,300 still dazed and disbelieving inhabitants who say politics is of little interest to them, mutter that the deadly raid was politically motivated.
In their eyes, the two young local men they had come to bury and as those arrested during the raid are innocent.
"It was six in the morning, we were still in our beds when suddenly four helicopters appeared and started firing on the houses," Semsedin Selimi recalled.
While locals say that the helicopters sprayed walls, houses, the mosque and cars with bullets, Interior Minister Gordana Jankulovska described the raid as a success without "major" collateral damage.
The six men were killed after they opened fire on police, officials say, backing the claim with forensic findings, along with that of a big cache of weapons that was seized in the Brodec.
The cache of automatic weapons, explosives, mines, grenades and rocket-propelled grenade launchers was intended for for attacks on cities and institutions, according to police.
Villagers, however, say they know nothing about the weapons.
"We are simple farmers loyal to the state," said Xheleb Dauti, who was still awaiting news of two sons and two grandsons who were among those arrested.
A third of Macedonian territory, along the northern and western borders with Kosovo and Albania, is dominated by ethnic Albanians, with Tetovo, the country's second-largest city, as the economic hub.
During the 2001 conflict, the entire region, dotted by villages along the porous borders and the population hostile to Skopje authorities, was virtually inaccessible for Macedonian police.
Even later, with the peace and reform deal fully in place, there were incidents of reportedly well-armed crime bosses and warlords driving police out of villages.
The showdown over the status of Kosovo, where the Albanian majority wants to obtain independence from Serbia, has again sent ripples of tension throughout the region.
The Albanians in Macedonia and southern Serbia keep their eyes riveted on Kosovo amid negotiations in a volatile atmosphere.
Ali Ahmeti, the mayor of Tetovo, who heads the Albanian opposition Democratic Union for Integration party and led the bloody insurgency in 2001, has criticized the raid.
In his words, the incident was a warning intended to "frighten and shut up" the Albanian population in Macedonia.
In 2001, the West brokered a peace deal which ended fighting through a broad constitution reform, giving Albanians and other minorities more rights in the dominantly Slavic Macedonia.
As a result, Macedonia became a regional example of conflict resolution for the United States, the European Union and the NATO alliance.
In return, Macedonia was given he status of prospective EU member state in 2005 with hopes of being invited to join NATO in 2008.
The raid, in which helicopters swooped in, automatic gunfire rang out and altogether six men were killed and 13 arrested, enraged the Macedonian Albanians in Brodec.
The incident now threatens to renew and ignite ethnic tensions in the area that teetered on the verge of a civil war when Albanians launched an insurgency in 2001.
Police said they had targeted a gang of fugitives from a prison in Kosovo, across the nearby border in an area largely disregarded by the local Albanian population, during the raid.
But many of Brodec's 1,300 still dazed and disbelieving inhabitants who say politics is of little interest to them, mutter that the deadly raid was politically motivated.
In their eyes, the two young local men they had come to bury and as those arrested during the raid are innocent.
"It was six in the morning, we were still in our beds when suddenly four helicopters appeared and started firing on the houses," Semsedin Selimi recalled.
While locals say that the helicopters sprayed walls, houses, the mosque and cars with bullets, Interior Minister Gordana Jankulovska described the raid as a success without "major" collateral damage.
The six men were killed after they opened fire on police, officials say, backing the claim with forensic findings, along with that of a big cache of weapons that was seized in the Brodec.
The cache of automatic weapons, explosives, mines, grenades and rocket-propelled grenade launchers was intended for for attacks on cities and institutions, according to police.
Villagers, however, say they know nothing about the weapons.
"We are simple farmers loyal to the state," said Xheleb Dauti, who was still awaiting news of two sons and two grandsons who were among those arrested.
A third of Macedonian territory, along the northern and western borders with Kosovo and Albania, is dominated by ethnic Albanians, with Tetovo, the country's second-largest city, as the economic hub.
During the 2001 conflict, the entire region, dotted by villages along the porous borders and the population hostile to Skopje authorities, was virtually inaccessible for Macedonian police.
Even later, with the peace and reform deal fully in place, there were incidents of reportedly well-armed crime bosses and warlords driving police out of villages.
The showdown over the status of Kosovo, where the Albanian majority wants to obtain independence from Serbia, has again sent ripples of tension throughout the region.
The Albanians in Macedonia and southern Serbia keep their eyes riveted on Kosovo amid negotiations in a volatile atmosphere.
Ali Ahmeti, the mayor of Tetovo, who heads the Albanian opposition Democratic Union for Integration party and led the bloody insurgency in 2001, has criticized the raid.
In his words, the incident was a warning intended to "frighten and shut up" the Albanian population in Macedonia.
In 2001, the West brokered a peace deal which ended fighting through a broad constitution reform, giving Albanians and other minorities more rights in the dominantly Slavic Macedonia.
As a result, Macedonia became a regional example of conflict resolution for the United States, the European Union and the NATO alliance.
In return, Macedonia was given he status of prospective EU member state in 2005 with hopes of being invited to join NATO in 2008.
Brodec operation was successful, State Department deputy spokesman Casey
The operation of the Macedonian police conducted in Brodec village nearby Tetovo was successful, stated State Department deputy spokesman Tom Casey at a regular press briefing in Washington. - It was a successful law enforcement operation conducted by a multiethnic police force against a group, including several wanted criminals, some of whom were recently escaped from a prison in Kosovo, Casey said.
Answering a journalist question, the State Department spokesman said that they didn't have any credible information that the group had Wahhabist ties.
- We're pleased that they nonetheless have been arrested and that some of the materials they were carrying were confiscated. And we certainly encourage the authorities to move quickly to restore normalcy to the village, he stated.
Answering a journalist question, the State Department spokesman said that they didn't have any credible information that the group had Wahhabist ties.
- We're pleased that they nonetheless have been arrested and that some of the materials they were carrying were confiscated. And we certainly encourage the authorities to move quickly to restore normalcy to the village, he stated.
Foreign Policy Blunders
Macedonia's international position has been seriously jeopardized. On one side we face intensive Greek pressure, on the second is Kosovo, whose unresolved status threatens to bring about a new explosion in the Balkans, and on the third, are the unfulfilled obligations toward NATO and the European Union, which may torpedo Macedonia's 15-year-old foreign policy plans.
In view of this, the Macedonian leadership has the right to be concerned about the country's future and its Euro-Atlantic prospects. U.S. Ambassador to NATO Victoria Nuland has voiced the United States' concern about the stalled reforms in Macedonia and the absence of political dialogue. She clearly pointed to the criteria that Macedonia needed to meet if it wanted to shift matters to its benefit. She asked Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski to implement the May agreement that he made with Ali Ahmeti and resolve the status of the former ONA [National Liberation Army, UCK in Albanian] fighters. She asked the state leadership to develop a clear strategy regarding the country's future actions, adding that she expected [President Branko] Crvenkovski to use his authority and restart the stalled political dialogue.
However, a number of issues remain unclear. Did the U.S. ambassador to NATO come on a mission to prepare [Macedonia] for a compromise with Greece regarding our country's constitutional name? A senior official from the ruling coalition and leader of one of the parties participating in the government has said this on two occasions, and no refutation has yet come from the other participants in the talks. The party leader claims that the sole objective of Nuland's visit to the country was to advise its political leaders to start preparing the ground for a compromise with the Greeks.
If this is true, the state leadership should not keep silent. It should make public all the details regarding Nuland's visit. Nuland's post is important for Macedonia's Euro- Atlantic prospects and this gives an even greater weight to her assessments and positions about the situation in our country. If there were any warnings in this respect, it would be better to make them public sooner rather than later, because the price of the country's foreign-policy defeat can only increase afterward.
Therefore, it is disgusting and uncouth of the state leadership to clash over the interpretations of Nuland's criticism. The heated arguments exchanged last weekend [10-11 November] suggest that the distress was not so much due to the guest's slaps as it was due to the slaps to be received in public. Will somebody's popularity decrease or increase after confronting truth? What is the price of regaining consciousness and accepting reality?
It is surprising that even after the unpleasant meeting with the U.S. ambassador, the political leaders in the country have not taken any action to show that they got the message. The direct and unambiguous recommendations have failed to mobilize the country's leadership toward sprinting until April next year. Instead, a pause and a thunderous silence have ensued, with Gruevski's denials of any criticism and Crvenkovski's insistence on the opposite being the only audible sound.
Nevertheless, the public has no doubts about the collision in the country's foreign policy. Kosovo is preparing to declare unilateral independence and Macedonia lacks a strategy on how to defend itself from internal pressure and recognize the former Serbian province as an independent state. [Greek Foreign Minister] Dora Bakoyianni has been touring the European political centers and seeking (and receiving) support for her demand that Macedonia change its name if it wants to avoid Greece's veto on its NATO accession.
On top of all, the country has received negative assessments in the European Commission's report regarding its progress toward the European Union, along with a strong message that the political criteria for NATO accession are not being met either.
Urgent solutions are needed for these issues before it is too late.
In view of this, the Macedonian leadership has the right to be concerned about the country's future and its Euro-Atlantic prospects. U.S. Ambassador to NATO Victoria Nuland has voiced the United States' concern about the stalled reforms in Macedonia and the absence of political dialogue. She clearly pointed to the criteria that Macedonia needed to meet if it wanted to shift matters to its benefit. She asked Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski to implement the May agreement that he made with Ali Ahmeti and resolve the status of the former ONA [National Liberation Army, UCK in Albanian] fighters. She asked the state leadership to develop a clear strategy regarding the country's future actions, adding that she expected [President Branko] Crvenkovski to use his authority and restart the stalled political dialogue.
However, a number of issues remain unclear. Did the U.S. ambassador to NATO come on a mission to prepare [Macedonia] for a compromise with Greece regarding our country's constitutional name? A senior official from the ruling coalition and leader of one of the parties participating in the government has said this on two occasions, and no refutation has yet come from the other participants in the talks. The party leader claims that the sole objective of Nuland's visit to the country was to advise its political leaders to start preparing the ground for a compromise with the Greeks.
If this is true, the state leadership should not keep silent. It should make public all the details regarding Nuland's visit. Nuland's post is important for Macedonia's Euro- Atlantic prospects and this gives an even greater weight to her assessments and positions about the situation in our country. If there were any warnings in this respect, it would be better to make them public sooner rather than later, because the price of the country's foreign-policy defeat can only increase afterward.
Therefore, it is disgusting and uncouth of the state leadership to clash over the interpretations of Nuland's criticism. The heated arguments exchanged last weekend [10-11 November] suggest that the distress was not so much due to the guest's slaps as it was due to the slaps to be received in public. Will somebody's popularity decrease or increase after confronting truth? What is the price of regaining consciousness and accepting reality?
It is surprising that even after the unpleasant meeting with the U.S. ambassador, the political leaders in the country have not taken any action to show that they got the message. The direct and unambiguous recommendations have failed to mobilize the country's leadership toward sprinting until April next year. Instead, a pause and a thunderous silence have ensued, with Gruevski's denials of any criticism and Crvenkovski's insistence on the opposite being the only audible sound.
Nevertheless, the public has no doubts about the collision in the country's foreign policy. Kosovo is preparing to declare unilateral independence and Macedonia lacks a strategy on how to defend itself from internal pressure and recognize the former Serbian province as an independent state. [Greek Foreign Minister] Dora Bakoyianni has been touring the European political centers and seeking (and receiving) support for her demand that Macedonia change its name if it wants to avoid Greece's veto on its NATO accession.
On top of all, the country has received negative assessments in the European Commission's report regarding its progress toward the European Union, along with a strong message that the political criteria for NATO accession are not being met either.
Urgent solutions are needed for these issues before it is too late.
Albanian secret service demands money for agents in Macedonia
Albanian state intelligence service SHISH demanded over 4 million euro extra funds to expand its activities in the region, including Macedonia.
Gazeta Shqiptare newspaper says the vast majority of additional agents will be sent to Kosovo, and the rest will be sent to "Albanian regions in Macedonia and Montenegro".
SHISH chief Bahri Shaqiri told the Albanian Parliament's National Security Committee that additional funds should be allocated to state intelligence service to expand its activities in 2008 and to recruit new agents outside the country.
The newspaper, citing sources who attended the session, says extra funds and new recruits will help the country stand ready for the eventualities that may arise from the tense situation in the Balkan.
A portion of funds will be used to strengthen the network of collaborators within the country and to step up the fight against terrorism, corruption and organized crime. Following the visit to Tirana by the US President George Bush, the government called on SHISH to downsize agents, the newspaper said, adding that 129 agents were laid off meanwhile.
Gazeta Shqiptare newspaper says the vast majority of additional agents will be sent to Kosovo, and the rest will be sent to "Albanian regions in Macedonia and Montenegro".
SHISH chief Bahri Shaqiri told the Albanian Parliament's National Security Committee that additional funds should be allocated to state intelligence service to expand its activities in 2008 and to recruit new agents outside the country.
The newspaper, citing sources who attended the session, says extra funds and new recruits will help the country stand ready for the eventualities that may arise from the tense situation in the Balkan.
A portion of funds will be used to strengthen the network of collaborators within the country and to step up the fight against terrorism, corruption and organized crime. Following the visit to Tirana by the US President George Bush, the government called on SHISH to downsize agents, the newspaper said, adding that 129 agents were laid off meanwhile.
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