Skopje, Macedonia News

The European Union on Saturday opened its borders unrestricted to more than ten million Serbs, Montenegrins and Macedonians after nearly 20 years, a major boost for the troubled region's hopes for closer ties with the 27-nation bloc.

An MEP has proposed that the EU appoint its outgoing foreign policy chief Javier Solana as the bloc's special envoy on the Macedonia name dispute, but sources in his office say that he does not want the role.

Until lately, Kosovo had a decade of padding to quarantine itself from the rawness, violence and fear that clasped to the coattails of liberation in 1999, infecting the "provisional government" months that followed, carrying their bacillus of internecine murder of alleged collaborators and of LDK members -- a good two years into the new decade .

US, Russia Face Each Other at ICJ Over Kosovo For the first time in 50 years Russians and Americans faced each other directly at an international court when on Tuesday they presented two opposing views at the International Court of Justice, ICJ, on Kosovo's independence.

Bosnia Infighting Stifles Competitiveness 10 December 2009 Despite its huge potentials, Bosnia remains one of the World's least competitive countries because its politicians hold up the key reforms, perpetuating a political crisis for their own interests, a top international diplomat in the country said.

"Did you see it?! It's not that great. It could have been much better. How could they waste so much money on such a lame ad?" These are some of the things we hear in Pristina nowadays.

Skopje Vasko Naumovski Differences between two European countries should be settled through mutual understanding and respect, Macedonia's deputy premier Vasko Naumovski said Wednesday, referring to his country's row with Greece.

Macedonian woman walks past a hand drawn old map of ethnic Macedonia, with a teritory which today belongs to the FYROM, Greece and Bulgaria on the wall of the main train station of the capitol Skopje, on 08 December 2009.

Skopje People swarmed the counters in fear of fines To the vast relief of many Macedonians, the country's Ministry of Interior has decided to prolong the deadline for changing of the country's old identity cards with new ones from the end of this year to 2012.

"Did you see it?! It's not that great. It could have been much better. How could they waste so much money on such a lame ad?" These are some of the things we hear in Pristina nowadays.

Macedonia's prime minister Nikola Gruevski, left, and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso address a joint news conference at the end of a meeting in Brussels, December 2 2009.

ATHENS, Greece -- Prime Minister George Papandreou and Alternate Foreign Minister Dimitris Droutsas have told Macedonian Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki that their country's position regarding Skopje's efforts to get a date for starting EU accession talks has not changed, Macedonian media reported on Tuesday .

International Security Assistance Force soldiers, from Macedonia and the 2nd battalion, 1st brigade, patrol a neighborhood November 19, 2006 in Kabul, Afghanistan.

SKOPJE, Macedonia -- Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski will meet with European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso on Wednesday , sources from the government told Makfax news agency Monday.

Carl Bildt, the straight-talking Swedish foreign minister, has made a final effort on behalf of his country's EU presidency to defuse Turkey's blocked EU accession talks, and to lift obstacles to opening accession negotiations with Macedonia.

Skopje Skopje, Macedonia Macedonia's Health Ministry confirmed on Thursday that a 77 years-old man is the country's second swine flu related death.

Culture brings the US and Macedonia closer. By Goran Trajkov for Southeast European Times in Skopje -- 26/11/09 Co-ordinator Olivera Trajkova hosts a Thanksgiving dinner at the American Corner in Skopje.

US: Skopje-Athens Meeting Crucial Skopje Philip Reeker The announced meeting between the Macedonian and Greek Prime Ministers Nikola Gruevski and George Papandreou may prove crucial for a quick settlement to the name row between the two countries, the United States Ambassador to Skopje, Philip Reeker said.

The Hague Tribunal Trial Chamber rejects Karadzic's request to be allowed to appeal the Tribunal's decision appointing counsel to represent him.

The presidents of Macedonia and Bulgaria discussed on November 20 Sofia's continued support for Skopje's bid to begin formal negotiations for joining the European Union, the Bulgarian Presidency said in a statement.