THE REPUBLIC OF

MACEDONIA
facts & figures 2007
Macedonian Information Centre

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THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA - facts & gures, June 2007
by Macedonian Information Centre, 1993 - 2007. All rights reserved
For the publisher: Dragan Antonov, Director
Editorial Board: Antonie Mitrev LLM, Director, Mircela Dzuvalekovska-Casule, Sonja Kiridzievska, Aleksandra Ilievska
Contributors: Lidija Velkovska, Sonja Efremova, Marica Jovanovska, Karolina Ristova-Asterud LLM, Very Rev. George Mitrev, etc.
Translation: Aleksandra Ilievska, Aleksandra Noveska
Photo: Rumen Kamilov, Dragan Todorovski, Nace Popov, MIA
Design: Simco Sandulovski
Printed by: Datapons DOO, Skopje
Previous editions: Te Republic of Macedonia: facts & gures, August 2004; July 2003; July 2002; June 1995; May 1993
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1. Macedonia ID CARD
Macedonia the Country .................................................... 7
Administration & Legal System .......................................... 7
Leaders & Government ..................................................... 8
Economy ........................................................................ 12
Communications ............................................................ 16
Education and Science ................................................... 18
Cultural Events ............................................................... 20
Holidays ......................................................................... 23
2. Country and People
The Country ................................................................... 24
Cultural Heritage ............................................................ 28
The Population ............................................................... 30
3. History
Outline of Macedonian History
from Ancient Times to 1991 ......................................... 32
Road to Independence ................................................... 33
The Christianizing of Macedonia and the
Macedonian Orthodox Church .................................... 36
4. Macedonian Statehood
International Public and the Ilinden Uprising .................. 40
Realization of Century Long Ideals
of the Macedonian People ........................................... 44
5. The State Order
The Constitution ............................................................. 48
Framework Agreement ................................................... 49
Fundamental Organs of the State ................................... 53
Unitary Structure of the State and the
Local Self-Government ................................................. 56
The Political Parties and the Electoral System .................. 58
The Legal System ............................................................ 60
6. The Macedonian Economy
Macroeconomic Developments ....................................... 62
Transition - Monetary Independence - Foreign Debt -
Taxation in Macedonia - Unemployment -
Relations to IMF and World Bank
Developments in the Economic Sector ............................ 68
Banking - Stock Exchange - Macedonian Industry -
Power and Energy - Transportation - Agriculture
Perspectives and Projections ........................................... 80
Privatization - Foreign Direct Investments - Hospitable
FDI Environment - Free economic zones - Concessions
7. The Republic of Macedonia Towards
the EU and NATO
The Republic of Macedonia Towards the EU ................... 86
NATO candidate country ................................................ 89
8. Macedonia in the World
On the Foreign Policy of the Republic of Macedonia ....... 90
Chronology of the Main Events in the Foreign Policy ...... 91
Diplomatic Missions of the Republic of Macedonia ........ 101
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Agency for Foreign Investments
Alliance of Independent Trade Unions
Alliance of Trade Unions of Macedonia
Archive of the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia
Broadcasting Council
Employment Service Agency
Government of the Republic of Macedonia
(Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Economy,
Ministry of Education and Science, Ministry of Finance,
Ministry of Foreign Aairs, Secretariat for European Aairs)
Macedonian Chamber of Commerce
Macedonian Stock Exchange
Museum of Macedonia
National and University Library
National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia
State Statistical O ce
Contents
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In 2002 we wrote:
"There is nothing like a crisis to prove ones
strength and value. And the Republic of Macedonia
has been through several crises since it proclaimed
its independence in 1991. It managed to escape the
whirlwind of destruction from the break up of the
former Yugoslavia, it survived the crippling Greek
embargo against Macedonia, it survived the UN
embargo against rump Yugoslavia, it kept its wits about
it during the Kosovo crisis and most recently prevented
the spill-over of the conict from Kosovo.
Any other country would have buckled under such
pressure. Te Republic of Macedonia on the other
hand, even under such stringent conditions, established
a one digit ination rate, increased foreign currency
reserves, stabilized the foreign exchange rate, privatized
90% of the economy, established a stock exchange and
is introducing reforms in virtually all sectors of the
economy and society.
We conclude that there can be no doubts as to
the future of Macedonia and to the determination of
its people to develop a market oriented democratic
country..." and today:
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Tree years ago we mourned President Boris Trajkovski who made the
ultimate sacrice in the service of his country the Republic of Macedonia. A
humanitarian, Trajkovski dedicated his time in o ce towards accomplishing
our ideas for a better, prosperous and stronger Macedonia. His life and
tragic death united the nation on these premises.
Yet, even this tragic event showed us the character and strength of
Macedonian society. Te institutions of the system continued to perform
their duties without a utter and respecting tight constitutional deadlines
the state organized its third democratic presidential elections. Trough
the election of the third President of the Republic of Macedonia we also
witnessed the consolidation of views on the future of Macedonia. While
there were dierences on dynamics and avenues, the candidates shared
common goals, visions and perspectives for a European Macedonia.
In line with these goals and visions, the Republic of Macedonia, backed
by a consensus of political and public opinion, submitted the application
of the Republic of Macedonia for European Union membership.
Two years ago, the European Council recognized the Republic of
Macedonia as a candidate for EU membership.
Tis event in-itself is a signal of the level of maturity that Macedonian
society attained since it proclaimed independence. Fifteen years ago
the world might have wondered about the capacity of the Macedonian
nation and democracy to face the challenges of statehood. Yet through
these years of transition and consolidation we managed to defend our
statehood and identity, we managed to critically reassess and reinvent
ourselves, our values and beliefs, the design of our institutions and the
very foundation of Macedonian society.
From all this we draw the conclusion that the period of historic reection,
struggle, transition and consolidation are over for Macedonia.
Tis year, as a responsible member of the international community,
the Republic of Macedonia is not only contributing to lasting stability in
this part of Europe but is also sharing its hard earned lessons exporting
stability to far-ung corners of the world and is actively involved in the
war against terrorism side by side with its partners from NATO.
Furthermore, in anticipation of an invitation for NATO membership
and the start of negotiations for EU membership, we are rening our
institutions and mind-set in a manner that will materialize the dreams,
hopes and visions of the people of Macedonia integration into the
European family of nations.
Dragan Antonov, Director Antonie Mitrev LLM, Director
Towards the publication
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NATIONAL INSIGNIA
Macedonia - ID Card
NATIONAL CURRENCY
Denar (MKD), 1 denar = 100 deni
Equi val ent : Euro 1.00 = 61,17 MKD
(December 31, 2006) US$ 1.00 = 46,45 MKD
CA$ 1.00 = 40,03 MKD
AU$ 1.00 = 36,65 MKD
CHF 100.00 = 3.806,96 MKD
GBP 1.00 = 91,10 MKD
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ADMINISTRATION & LEGAL SYSTEM
Government type: Parliamentary democracy
Legal system: Based on civil law system,
judicial review of legislative acts
Legislative branch: Unicameral Parliament - 120 deputies
Executive branch: President, Government, Prime Minister
Judicial branch: Constitutional Court (9 judges),
Supreme Court (25 judges),
Courts of Appeal (4 - Skopje, Bitola, Stip, Gostivar),
First Instance Courts (27),
Republican Judicial Council (15 members),
Public Prosecutors O ce, Ombudsman's O ce
Administrative division: Municipalities (84)
MACEDONIA - THE COUNTRY
Constitutional name: REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA
International abbreviation (ISO): MK
Independence: 8 September 1991
Total area: 25,713 sq. km
Population: 2,022,547
1
Currency: Denar (MKD)
Capital: Skopje
O cial language: Macedonian
2
Religions: Christians 65.2%
(Orthodox Christians 64.8%),
Muslims 33.3%, Others 1.5%
Time: Central European Time zone (GMT+1)
Internet ccTLD: .mk
1
2002 Census data.
Based on the 2002 Census total
population data, Macedonias total
population in 2006 was estimated
at 2,042,894.
2
In the units of local self-
government where at least 20
percent of the population speaks a
particular language, that language
and its alphabet shall be used as
an o cial language in addition to
the Macedonian language and the
Cyrillic alphabet. (Constitution of
the Republic of Macedonia).
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BRANKO CRVENKOVSKI,
President of the Republic of Macedonia
(inaugurated 12 May 2004)
"Macedonia - a state of equality,
of mutual solidarity and loyalty,
of common interests and goals. Macedonia united and
unied, Macedonia integrated at home, integrated in
Europe.
Tis is the Macedonia we desire, this is the Macedonia
that we will together work for."
Branko Crvenkovski
12 May 2004
President of the Republic
Biography: Born on 12 October 1962 in Sarajevo. Married to
Jasmina, father of two, son Ljupco and daughter Marija.
Education: Graduated at the Faculty of Electrical Engi-
neering in Skopje, School of Information Technology and
Automatics.
Career: Elected President of the Republic of Macedonia at
the early presidential election on 28 April 2004. President
of the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM)
since April 1991 until inauguration. Elected Member of
Parliament at the elections in 2002.
In May 2001, during the crisis in the Republic of Macedonia,
SDSM joined the government of political unity, and he was
one of the signatories of the Ohrid Framework Agreement,
signed on 13 August 2001 in Skopje.
Prime Minister of the Republic of Macedonia from Sep-
tember 1992 to November 1998. In 1992, aged 29, he was
the youngest head of government in Europe. In 1994 he
was re-elected President of the Government of the Republic
of Macedonia.
In November 1990, at the rst multiparty elections held in
the Republic of Macedonia, he was elected to the Parliament
of the Republic of Macedonia for the rst time.

Photo: UN, New York,
September 29
th
, 2006.
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President of the Assembly
Biography: Born on 30 May 1937 in Bitola, Republic of
Macedonia.
Education: He graduated from the Department of Teatre
and Radio Direction at the Academy of Teatre, Film, Radio
and Television in Belgrade in 1974.
Career: Ljubisa Georgievski is a theatre and lm director,
playwright and essayist, theatre theoretician and professor of
theatre direction and playacting at the Faculty of Dramatic
Arts in Skopje.
He was a visiting professor of theatre ontology and phe-
nomenology at the University of Southern California in Los
Angeles and the University of Texas at Dallas, the USA.
Ljubisa Georgievski is a socially engaged individual, journalist
and polyglot. He has published over ten books. As a lm
director, he has directed four lms. As a journalist, he has
authored over 200 columns in the daily Dnevnik.
As a director, he has worked in Los Angeles and Dallas,
in Poland, Romania, Italy, Croatia, Serbia and Bulgaria;
his scripts and plays have been staged in Moscow, Vienna,
Paris, Warsaw, Budapest, Bucharest, Lodz, Soa, Belgrade,
Zagreb and Trieste.
At the 1994 Presidential election, he was a VMRO-DPMNE
presidential candidate.
In the period 2000-2004 he was Ambassador Extraordinary
and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Macedonia to the
Republic of Bulgaria. Ljubisa Georgievski speaks English,
French, Italian, Russian and Bulgarian, and uses Slovenian,
Polish and Romanian languages.
LJUBISA GEORGIEVSKI
President of the Assembly
(elected on 1 August 2006 )
Allow me today, when we are marking the
15th anniversary of the adoption of the rst
Constitution of the independent and sover-
eign Republic of Macedonia to call on all of
you that we jointly continue our eorts for
Macedonia as a full EU and NATO member.
I do hope that in 5 years, when we mark the
20th anniversary of the rst Constitution, here,
under this roof, we will speak of some new
aspirations and dreams, which will above all
benet the future of the Republic of Macedonia
and its citizens.
Ljubisa Georgievski
November 17 2006
Photo:
With Honorary President of the
International Paneuropean Union
Otto von Habsburg,
Skopje, 19
th
May, 2007.
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Head of Government
Biography: Born on 31 August 1970 in Skopje.
Education: In 1994, Nikola Gruevski graduated from the
Faculty of Economics in Prilep at the University of St. Kli-
ment Ohridski, Bitola, and in 2006 defended his MA thesis
entitled Foreign Direct Investments, Economic Development
and Employment. He was awarded a certicate from the
London Securities Institute.
He is uent in English and has knowledge of French and
German.
Career: He has been President of VMRO-DPMNE since
May 2003. He was a member of the Macedonian Parliament
from September 2002 until August 2006. In the period from
December 1999 until September 2002, Nikola Gruevski
served as Minister of Finance in the Government of the
Republic of Macedonia after lling the posts of Minister
without Portfolio and Minister of Trade from 1998 until
1999. He was also Governor of the Republic of Macedonia in
the World Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction
and Development (EBRD), President of the State Securities
and Exchange Commission (2000-2002) and President
and founder of the Brokers Association of the Republic of
Macedonia (1998).
From 1994 until 1998 he worked for Balkanska banka AD
Skopje, and in 1998 he was appointed Director of the Li-
quidity Department of the bank upon serving as the banks
broker at the Macedonian Stock Exchange.
In 2003, he was engaged as an advisor to the Minister of
Finance of Serbia within a USAID project.
During his professional career, he participated in various
conferences, forums, initiatives, seminars etc. both in Europe
and worldwide, organized by the International Monetary
Fund, the World Bank, the World Trade Organization and
other relevant international institutions.
NIKOLA GRUEVSKI
Head of Government (Prime Minister)
(August 2006 - )
I would like to emphasize that there should not be any
dilemmas as to whether the continuation and intensication
of all activities aimed at fulllment of the Copenhagen and
Madrid criteria for accession to the European Union is an
issue of topmost priority ...
We are aware that on this road we shall face many challenges,
we will have to make hard decisions and we will have to
enforce such decisions in practice...
Te citizens deserve to see the European standards that we
discuss as part of their everyday lives...
Te integration of the Republic of Macedonia into the
EU and NATO, an issue that we shall tackle with utmost
seriousness, shall mark the nal victory of peace, coexistence
and interethnic tolerance to which we as a state and
Government heartily aspire.
Nikola Gruevski, 26 August 2006
(Address in the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia)
Photo:
With German Chancellor Angela Merkel
Berlin, 16 October 2006.
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GOVERNMENT
of the Republic of Macedonia
Prime Minister: Nikola Gruevski
Deputy Prime Ministers: Gabriela Konevska Trajkovska
Zoran Stavreski
Imer Aliu
Zivko Jankulovski
Minister of Foreign Aairs: Antonio Milososki
Minister of Defense: Lazar Elenovski
Minister of Interior: Gordana Jankulovska
Minister of Justice: Mihajlo Manevski
Minister of Finance: Trajko Slavevski
Minister of Economy: Vera Rafajlovska
Minister of Agriculture,
Forestry and Water Supply: Aco Spasenovski
Minister of Health: Imer Selmani
Minister of Education
and Science: Sulejman Rushiti
Minister of Labor and
Social Policy: Ljupco Meskov
Minister of Local
Self-Government: Abdurahman Memeti
Minister of Culture: Arifhikmet Xhemaili
Minister of Transport
and Communication: Mile Janakieski
Minister of Environment
and Physical Planning: Dzelil Bajrami
Ministers without Portfolio: Vele Samak
Adnan Cahil
Gligor Tashkovich
Ivo Ivanovski
Government
Note: Tis government is a coalition of the
election coalition For a Better Macedonia
(VMRO-DPMNE 11 members of the
Cabinet, including the PM, LPM 1 member,
SPM 1 member and Party for the Movement
of Turks in Macedonia 1 member),
DPA5 members of the Cabinet,
NSDP 3 members of the Cabinet and
PPD 1 member of the Cabinet.
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Contribution to GDP:
Economy
Figure:
Gross domestic
product
(real growth rates
in %)
Source: State Statistical O ce
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
1
GDP in per capita US$ 1209 1420 1480 1573 1656 1771 1821 1917 2032 2114 2219
GDP in million US$ 2377 2815 2955 3157 3340 3588 3706 3872 4119 4298 4519
GDP real growth rates -1.1 1.2 1.4 3.4 4.3 4.5 -4.5 0.9 2.8 4.1 3.8
GDP deator 117.1 102.9 103.4 101.4 102.7 108.2 103.6 103.4 100.3 101.3 103.3
GDP:
Di s tri buti on ( ) 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
1
Agriculture, hunting and forestry
10.0 9.8 10.0 11.4 11.3 10.9
Fishing
0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Mining and quarrying
0.8 0.6 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.5
Manufacturing
17.3 16.9 15.5 15.8 15.0 15.6
Electricity, gas and water supply
4.4 4.3 3.7 4.7 4.2 3.6
Construction
5.7 5.0 4.9 5.4 5.6 5.1
Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and household goods
10.7 11.2 11.2 11.2 13.6 13.4
Hotels and restaurants
1.5 1.5 1.7 1.9 1.6 1.5
Transport, storage and communication
9.0 9.3 8.4 8.4 7.8 8.2
Financial services
3.1 3.2 3.0 2.4 2.8 2.9
Real estate, renting and business activities
3.2 3.6 3.3 3.4 3.3 2.8
Public administration and defense; compulsory social security
6.1 6.2 6.6 6.8 6.7 7.3
Education
3.5 3.4 3.6 3.8 3.7 3.6
Health and social work
3.8 3.7 3.8 3.9 3.6 3.4
Other community, social and personal service activities
2.2 2.4 2.3 2.2 2.3 2.2
Extra-territorial organizations and bodies
0 0 0 0 0 0
Imputed rents
4.4 4.5 4.4 5.5 5.9 5.5
Minus: Imputed banking services
2.2 2.0 1.7 1.5 1.8 2.1
Value added
83.5 83.5 81.4 85.5 86.0 84.5
Net taxes on production
16.5 16.5 18.6 14.5 14.0 15.5
1)
Preliminary data
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-4
-3
-2
-1
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1
2
3
4
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1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Source: State Statistical O ce
1)
Preliminary data
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Inows and outows in the gross foreign exchange reserves of the NBRM (in millions of Euros, end of period)
Source: National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia
2005 Q.1 Q.2 Q.3 Q.4 2006
Amount of the foreign reserves of the Republic of Macedonia 1,122.9 1,157.8 1,241.3 1,370.1 1,416.7
Net increase in foreign exchange reserves 34.8 83.6 128.7 46.6 293.7
Realized change in foreign exchange reserves, on net basis
- Transactions with commercial banks 10.6 94.0 76.3 60.2 241.1
- Purchase and sale 5.6 85.8 69.5 43.0 203.8
- Securities 5.0 8.3 6.8 17.2 37.4
- Interest received of foreign currency deposits 5.4 5.9 8.8 9.4 29.5
- Government deposits 9.7 -8.8 40.4 -22.3 19.2
- Reserve requirement on foreign courency deposits 3.0 2.6 5.6 6.0 17.2
- Trancactions with IMF, net -0.5 -4.0 -0.6 -4.6 -9.7
- Cross-currency reletions 6.5 -6.2 -2.7 -4.8 -7.3
- Other 0.1 0.1 1.0 2.7 4.0
Debt stock by year (by creditors on basis of long-term loans, in million US$)
Source: National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia
1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
O cial creditors 730.72 771.78 746.22 840.58 971.77 1,076.12 1,024.80 1,094.88
Multilateral creditors 420.45 456.37 474.18 581.90 730.96 855.03 842.80 916.47
IBRD 87.55 93.90 94.93 109.39 133.52 168.66 201.07 213.84
IDA 222.47 249.93 255.26 295.81 357.90 388.06 362.32 384.37
IFAD 1.68 3.07 4.05 5.20 6.76 10.75 12.94 16.46
CEDB 4.64 6.97 5.66 14.50 17.39 23.01 19.80 23.64
EBRD 12.33 10.31 7.88 6.65 8.50 19.05 20.67 26.71
EIB 38.17 41.87 53.76 80.42 94.43 123.07 119.82 132.91
EU 40.18 37.22 44.07 64.62 112.46 122.44 106.17 118.53
EUROFIMA 13.41 13.09 8.57 5.32 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Bilateral creditors 310.27 315.42 272.04 258.68 240.81 221.09 182.00 178.41
Private creditors 245.27 252.70 262.09 254.12 243.54 232.96 400.22 198.30
London club 245.27 252.70 261.62 253.77 243.30 232.84 222.38 0.00
Euro bonds 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 176.95 197.55
Other private creditors 0.00 0.00 0.47 0.35 0.24 0.12 0.89 0.75
Public funds 53.44 49.19 42.12 40.23 41.21 42.07 44.12 56.99
Monetary Authorities 101.71 81.57 70.79 67.39 68.35 62.54 62.13 55.83
IMF 101.71 81.57 70.79 67.39 68.35 62.54 62.13 55.83
Public enterprises 163.35 175.48 109.62 118.76 148.28 189.70 168.87 201.26
Private sector 152.14 164.37 198.15 255.94 325.47 404.13 481.19 740.27
Private Banks 69.33 60.74 51.90 91.59 77.16 62.01 117.82 180.15
Non-bank private sector 82.81 103.62 146.25 164.35 248.31 342.11 363.37 560.11
TOTAL 1,446.63 1,495.09 1,428.99 1,577.01 1,798.62 2,007.51 2,181.34 2,347.52
Debt service payments by year (by creditors on basis of long -term loans, in million US$)
Source: National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia
2003 (in mill.US$) 2004 (in mill. US$) 2005 (im mill. EUR) 2006 (im mill. EUR)
Principal Interest Total Principal Interest Total Principal Interest Total Principal Interest Total
1. O cial creditors 101.0 34.0 135.0 101.6 28.9 130.6 73.3 24.9 98.1 92.3
1.1 Multilateral 58.0 21.0 79.0 55.0 20.5 75.6 40.3 18.6 58.9 60.7
1.2 Bilateral 43.0 13.0 56.0 46.6 8.4 55.0 33.3 6.3 39.3 31.6
2. Private creditors 85.0 16.0 102.0 97.2 17.9 115.1 71.2 19.3 90.4 321.4
2.1 London club 10.0 6.0 17.0 10.5 4.8 15.3 8.4 5.9 14.3
2.2 Others 75.0 10.0 85.0 86.7 13.1 99.8 62.8 13.3 76.1
TOTAL 186.0 50.0 237.0 198.8 46.8 245.7 144.5 44.2 188.5 413.7
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Preliminary data
Export and Import (in '000 US$)
Foreign trade structure (in '000 US$)
Exports 2004 Exports 2005
1
Imports 2004 Imports 2005
1
TOTAL 1,675,877 2,041,265 2,931,626 3,227,998
Europe 1,523,849 1,814,424 2,508,138 2,701,417
Albania 23,589 27,522 6,346 9,068
Austria 8,514 9,001 68,858 69,184
Belgium 15,158 34,620 22,098 27,276
Bulgaria 51,543 76,097 209,746 234,331
Slovakia 3,594 1,482 8,449 11,747
Czech Republic 5,363 6,050 17,474 23,345
Denmark 2,311 2,781 14,834 14,293
Ukraine 2,157 2,043 74,101 72,032
France 77,323 19,914 67,548 60,978
Greece 228,757 312,931 282,637 296,830
Germany 317,220 364,015 368,187 334,884
Netherlands 47,311 44,579 57,127 53,226
Italy 134,552 169,606 168,808 193,668
Cyprus 4,801 5,542 4,693 3,468
Liechtenstein 314 284 364 596
Bosnia and Herzegovina 33,226 50,456 16,306 23,577
Slovenia 27,189 31,807 140,338 127,986
Croatia 80,158 81,054 65,782 75,230
Hungary 2,189 2,701 30,988 36,250
Belarus 165 496 218 242
Poland 2,620 4,042 78,305 94,642
Romania 1,827 4,190 113,061 64,908
Russia 19,671 21,419 271,010 424,494
Spain 23,034 14,008 30,975 32,305
Switzerland 6,446 7,518 45,697 63,676
Sweden 5,749 8,335 25,105 20,058
United Kingdom 42,460 42,929 54,748 44,030
Te then Serbia and Monte Negro 347,602 459,544 243,715 264,206
Other European countries 9,006 9,459 20,620 24,889
Asia 70,821 86,879 288,531 384,984
Africa 4,310 4,036 10,941 8,737
North and Central America 73,634 131,405 59,234 70,119
South America 489 2,540 61,676 55,092
Oceania 2,541 1,734 3,077 7,505
Other countries 233 247 29 65
Exports 2004 Exports 2005 Imports 2004 Imports 2005
TOTAL 1,675,877 2,041,265 2,931,626 3,227,998
Production materials 816,228 1,110,198 1,904,653 2095173
Capital goods 30,577 39,832 312,845 348425
Consumption goods 827,739 890,422 711,836 782301
Undivided 1,333 814 2,293 2099
Source: State Statistical O ce
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Fiscal Year:
1 January
31 December
Labor force (2006):
891,679 total,
570,404 employed,
321,274 unemployed
(Source:
State Statistical O ce)
Major export products:
iron and steel products, textile products, wine, fruit,
vegetables, processed food
Principal export partners:
Germany, Serbia, Greece, Italy, USA
Major import products:
oil, vehicles, equipment
Principal import partners:
Germany, Serbia, Ukraine, Greece, Russian Federation,
Slovenia
Industries:
electricity, crude oil processing, steel, metal rening,
metal processing, buses, synthetic bers, cigarettes,
textiles, shoes, machinery, furniture
Mining:
coal (lignite), zinc ore, lead ore, silicon ore, nickel ore,
chromium ore, marble
Agriculture:
principal crops (wheat, corn, sugar beet), rice,
sunower, tobacco, grapes, early-market garden
vegetables (tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, cabbage)
Macedonia has propitious conditions for agriculture
and is nearly self-su cient in food production. Over
60,000 tractors are in use. Te private sector accounts
for over 80% of agricultural production.
Forestry (31.12.2005):
Forests cover an area of 955,228 hectares,
of which 857,805 is state property.
- beech tree 232,644 hectares
- oak tree 284,253 hectares
- pine tree 61,795 hectares
Enterprises (31.12.2005): 67,026 total
Structure by type of property:
- Private 63,973
- Social 809
- Mixed 769
- Cooperative 1,436
- State 39
Structure by origin of capital:
- Domestic 64,164
- Foreign 980
- Mixed 1,882
*
For your convenience,
the MIC has presented in
Euros the data for 2007
Budget at a rate of
1 Euro = 61.17 MKD
(December 31, 2006 /
NBRM).
BUDGET OF THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA 2007*
in mill. Denars in mill. Euros
Total revenues 108,635 1,775.95
Taxes and contributions 92,825 1,517.49
Taxes 61,722 1,009.02
Contributions 31,103 508.47
Non-tax revenues 13,755 224.87
Capital revenues 550 8.99
Foreign donations 1,505 24.60
Revenues from repayment of loans 0 0
Total expenditures 112,029 1,831.44
Current expenditures 99,833 1,632.06
Wages and allowances 24,852 406.28
Goods and services 14,737 240.92
Transfers 57,279 936.39
Transfers to local self-government units 2,363 38.63
Subsidies and transfers 3,814 62.35
Social transfers 51,102 835.41
Interest 2,965 48.47
Capital expenditures 12,196 199.38
Budget balance -3,394 -55.48
Financing 3,394 55.48
Inow 14,942 244.27
Domestic 4,300 70.30
Foreign 3,477 56.84
Reducing NBRM deposits 7,165 117.13
Outow 11,548 188.78
Repayment of principal 11,548 188.78
Domestic 5,087 83.16
Foreign 6,461 105.62
Increasing NBRM deposits 0 0
Buying securities 0 0
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Communications
Oil pipelines:
Te Tessaloniki-Skopje oil pipeline, put into eect in July
2002, is 214 km long, 144 km of which run on Macedonian
territory. Its capacity is 2.5 million tons of oil a year. Tere
are plans for extending the oil pipeline to the north.
AMBO is an oil pipeline projected to run from the Bulgar-
ian port of Burgas at the Black Sea to the Albanian city of
Vlora on the Adriatic coast, crossing Macedonia.
Te corridor through the Republic of Macedonia stretches
from Deve Bair on the east to the countrys western border
with Albania via Kriva Palanka, Sveti Nikole, Veles, Bo-
gomila, Krusevo, Sopotnica, Botun and Lakaica.
Te construction of the oil pipeline is expected to start by
the end of 2008, while the rst quantities of crude oil are
expected to ow through AMBO by the end of 2010 or
the second quarter of 2011.
AMBO will be 894.5 km long, approximately 273 km of
which will run through Macedonia. It will have a diameter
of 914 mm (36 inches) and four pump stations (two in
Bulgaria and one each in Macedonia and Albania).
Te capacity of the oil pipeline will be 750,000 barrels per
day, or an average of 30 to 40 million tons of crude oil a year.
Te whole investment is estimated at US$1.2 billion.
On 31 January 2007, Macedonia, Bulgaria and Albania
signed a trilateral convention on the construction of the
Balkan pipeline AMBO.
Gas pipeline:
Te Macedonian gas pipeline was put into use in 1997,
stretching from Deve Bair (Macedonia-Bulgaria border)
to Skopje.
Te annual capacity has been projected at 800 million m3,
while its current capacity utilization stands at 10%.
Te realisation of a project for construction of a thermo-
electric gas power plant in Skopje is underway.
Terrestrial satellite station of the Macedonian telecom
Macedonia is at the crossroads of Southeastern Europe.
Its developed road and railway infrastructure and the two
international airports with regular direct connections to
several major European transport centers make it an ideal
transit and distribution center.
Te two large Pan-European corridors Corridor 8 (east-
west) and Corridor 10 (north-south) are currently being
upgraded. Tis will additionally strengthen the capacity of
the Macedonian transport network.
Source: Regional and National Road Fund
PIPELINES:
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Roads: 13,278 km total (2005)
- by type of road: 7,285 km asphalt, concrete
or cobbled
1,262 km macadam
4,731 km dirt/projected road
- by road category: 906 km national
3,806 km regional
216 km motorways
548 km int. "E" roads
8,566 km class IV- local roads
ROAD TRAFFIC:
Passengers carried (in '000) 2001
1
2002 2005 2006
13,724 13,854 9,442 8,862
Transport of goods (in '000 tons) 2001
1
2002 2005 2006
6,661 7,359 8,433 16,390
1)
Data from 2001 is calculated by new methodology
Railroads: 925 km Number of railroad stations: 132
RAILROAD TRAFFIC:
Passengers carried (in '000) 2001
1
2002 2005 2006
1,344 930 903 962
Transport of goods (in '000 tons) 2001
1
2002 2005
2
2006
2
2,799 2,208 3,129 3,797
1)
Data from 2001 is calculated by new methodology
2)
Transit is included
Two main airports: SKOPJE Alexander the Great Airport (http://skp.airports.com.mk)
OHRID St. Paul the Apostle Airport (http://ohd.airports.com.mk)
AIR TRAFFIC:
Passengers carried (in '000) 2001 2002 2005 2006
508 556 575 584
Transport of goods (in tons) 2001
1
2002 2005
2
2006
2
2,329 2,139 1,624 1,670
1)
Data from 2001 is calculated by new methodology
2)
Transit is included
Network and customers in telecommunication tra c
2000 2001 2002 2004 2005
Telephone exchanges (telecom. network units) 385 446 418 420 357
Fixed-line telephone lines 805,885 792,036 793,132 732,468 670,421
Single lines 645,563 670,818 718,517 714,102 651,856
Double lines 151,580 110,100 61,869 - -
Telegraph lines 800 800 800 460 460
Public pay phone lines 1,811 1,835 1,811 2,105 2,528
Internet lines 10,074 22,040 36,639 69,798 92,361
Cellular lines 170,000 170,000 450,000 1,305,000 1,477,142
Fixed-line telephone customers 507,316 538,507 578,278 597,957 533,185
Cellular telephone customers 99,944 137,927 366,348 997,756 1,261,328

TV and Radio:
Public sector: - MRTV Public broadcasting service: 3 television, 4 radio, and 1 satellite television channels;
- 29 local radio stations, 10 of them broadcasting television too.
Commercial sector: 5 television stations with national concessions, 50 local television stations;
- 3 radio stations with national concessions, 65 local radio stations
TELECOMMUNICATION:
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Education & Science
Te educational system in the Republic of Macedonia is
conducted in four levels: pre-school education, elementary
education, secondary education and university education.
Te pre-school level includes nurseries, kindergartens and
prep schools. Elementary education comprises of two cycles
first to forth grade and fifth to eighth grade (in the
2007/2008 school year, nine-year primary education will
begin for children aged 6, including three education periods:
rst-third, fourth-sixth and seventh-ninth grade), while
secondary education includes general high schools and art
schools. Tere are two types of university education: colleges
(one to three years study program) and faculties. Standard
faculty duration is four years and in certain faculties it is
longer (four and a half or ve years in some technical facul-
ties, six years in medical school).
SS. CYRIL AND METHODIUS UNIVERSITY IN SKOPJE
www.ukim.edu.mk
23 faculties:
Medical sciences: Medicine, Dental Medicine, Pharmacy and
Physical Education.
Technical sciences: Natural Sciences & Mathematics, Architec-
ture, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical
Engineering & Information Technologies, Technology &
Metallurgy and Mining & Geology.
Social sciences: Philosophy, Philology, Economics, Law, Pedagogy
(in Skopje and Stip).
Biotechnical sciences: Agriculture & Food, Forestry and Veteri-
nary Medicine.
Arts: Music, Dramatic Arts and Fine Arts.
10 institutes: National History, Macedonian Language, Folklore,
Economics, Sociological, Political & Legal Research, Agriculture,
South Crops, Earthquake Engineering & Engineering Seismol-
ogy, Cattle-breeding and Macedonian Literature.
Te Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje is the rst
state university in the Republic of Macedonia founded in 1949.
Over 115,000 students graduated, while 5,000 post-graduates
received their Masters and over 2,500 received their Ph.D.
degrees from this University. Foreign students from over 80
countries have taken part in its educational process.
Today, there are 37,000 students studying at the Ss. Cyril and
Methodius University. Around 600 foreign students are included
in the student programs of the University at all its faculties every
year. At the moment, there are about 2,400 educational profes-
sionals and associates engaged at the faculties and institutes, over
170 undergraduates and over 250 postgraduates.
ST. KLIMENT OHRIDSKI UNIVERSITY IN BITOLA
www.uklo.edu.mk
5 faculties: Technical Sciences in Bitola, Economics in Prilep,
Tourism & Catering in Ohrid, Teaching and Biotechnol-
ogy.
1 college: Medical.
3 institutes: Tobacco in Prilep, Hydrobiology in Ohrid and
Ancient Slavic Culture in Prilep.
STATE UNIVERSITY OF TETOVO
www.unite.edu.mk
4 faculties: Natural Sciences, Human Sciences & Arts, Eco-
nomics and Law.
1 college: Center for Polytechnic Studies.
SOUTH EAST EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY IN TETOVO
www.see-university.com
5 faculties: Business Administration, Public Administration,
Communication Sciences & Technologies, Law and Teacher
Training.
OTHER HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
IN THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA:
European University - Republic of Macedonia
University of New York in Skopje
University American College Skopje
FON University
Faculty of Business Economics - Skopje
Faculty of Tourism - Skopje
MASA - MACEDONIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES AND ARTS
www.manu.edu.mk
Te Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts was established by
the Macedonian Assembly on 22nd February 1967 as the highest
scientic, scholarly and artistic institution in the country.
Academic Cvetan Grozdanov, president
Membership: - 44 regular members
- 1 honorary member
- 42 external associates
Departments: - Linguistic and literary sciences
- Social sciences (economy, law, history)
- Mathematical and technical sciences
- Biological and medical sciences
- Arts
Research centres: - Energy, Informatics and Materials
- Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology
- Lexicographical
- Areal Linguistics
- Strategic Research
UNIVERSITY EDUCATION:
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Table: Schools, pupils, students and teachers, school year 2001/02 - 2005/06 Source: State Statistical O ce
Table: Number of pupils in schools where instruction is in the languages of the minorities, 2001/02 - 2005/06
"As we know, in the frameworks of our secular and spiritual history St. Clements University operated
from the end of the 9
th
century to the beginning of the 10
th
century, that is to say until the passing away
of St. Clement of Ohrid, the rst Slavic bishop, a saint, and an enlightener of the Macedonian people.
In the historic science, this early-middle-age educational and cultural institution is called the First
Slavic University, the oldest in Europe. It is known that St. Clement and his associates had educated
over 3,500 students who, after his death, spread among the Slavic countries and expanded the Christian
religion, literacy, and science among the peoples of Slavic origin.
Te space where St. Clements University operated is todays Plaosnik in Ohrid, in the vicinity of St.
Clements Church of St. Pantelejmon, in the south pedestal of the citadel of Samoils Fortress."
Pasko KUZMAN
Macedonian Aairs, January 2007, Vol. VI, No. 1
ST. CLEMENTS UNIVERSITY IN OHRID OF THE 9th CENTURY
Elementary education Secondary education Higher education University education
Schools Pupils Teachers Schools Pupils Teachers Schools Students Teachers Schools Students Teachers
2001/02 1010 242707 13508 95 92068 5550 1 1123 60 29 43587 1501
2002/03 1020 235516 13678 96 93526 5749 1 893 32 29 44731 1487
2003/04 1012 229564 13791 96 93791 5863 1 960
1
30
1
29 45677
1
2597
1
2004/05 1010 223876 13970 100 94053 5946 1 1112
3
29 38 48252
3
2893
2005/06 1005 235185 14917 101 93908 6136 1 1276
2
31
2
36 47092
2
2826
3
Number of pupils in regular elementary schools Number of pupils in regular secondary schools
Total Albanian Turkish Serbian Total Albanian Turkish Serbian
2001/02 82489 76087 5874 528 16538 15844 694 -
2002/03 81851 75543 5825 483 17897 17135 762 -
2003/04 81190 75015 5712 463 19286 18361 925 -
2004/05 80260 74200 5602 458 20442 19362 1090 -
2005/06 86864 79428 6972 464 21419 20291 1128 -
1)
Data from the
universities in Skopje
and Bitola
2)
Data from the state
universities in Skopje
and Bitola and the
private European
University in Skopje.
3)
Data from the state
universities in Skopje
and Bitola and the
private European
University in
Skopje and the SEE
University in Tetovo.
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THEATERS & CINEMAS
PROFESSIONAL THEATERS: 12
Teater performances: 954
Visitors: 228,000
CINEMAS: 21
Cinema performances: 1,974
Visitors: 98,000
( 2005/2006 data, source: State Statistical O ce)
Ohrid Summer Festival
Started in 1961, it is an international cultural event that takes
place annually at various locations in Ohrid, but mostly in the
magnicent Cathedral Church of St. Soa (11th century) from
12 July through 20 August. Te festival is a member of the
European Festivals Association (EFA) and is regarded as one
of the most prestigious events of this kind. Its program focuses
on classical music, ballet, opera and theatre. In recent years, the
festival has opened up to alternative works and performances
and to other contemporary European and international cultural
developments.
Seminar on Macedonian Language, Literature and Culture
Organized by the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje,
the seminar is held in Ohrid in August and is attended by par-
ticipants from numerous countries across the world, studying
the Macedonian language, literature and culture.
Struga Poetry Evenings
Held every year in the second half of August and lasting for a
week, the Struga Poetry Evenings is one of the worlds most
prestigious poetry events. Over 3500 poets from all the con-
tinents of the world have participated in the festival over the
last 44 years. Te Golden Wreath Award for lifetime poetry
achievements has been presented every year to the grandest
names of contemporary literature, such as Wystan Hugh
Auden and Ted Hughes (United Kingdom), Allen Ginsberg
and Joseph Brodsky (United States), Pablo Neruda (Chile),
Eugenio Montale (Italy), Andrey Voznesensky (Russia) and
many others.
Manaki Brothers International Film Camera Festival
Having its rst edition held in 1979 in honor of the rst
cameramen in the Balkans, Milton and Janaki Manaki, who
shot the rst documentary in 1905 with their Camera 300 in
their hometown of Bitola, it is the worlds oldest lm camera
festival paying tribute to the cinematographers artistic motion
picture achievements. Eminent camera masters from all over
the world have been presented with Golden, Silver and Bronze
Camera 300 awards.
Youth Open Teater (MOT)
It is an international theater festival, at which more than 250
theatrical performances have thus far been presented, most
of them by alternative, experimental theatre groups engaging
young playwrights and actors from the former SFRY constitu-
ents, the United States, France, Russia, Spain, Japan, Poland,
Museum of Contemporary Art, Skopje, 2004
Grand Teater, Skopje, 1935 (destroyed in 1963 earthquake).
Cultural Events
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Italy, India and many other countries. Youth Open Teater
became a member of the Brussels Informal European Teatre
Meeting, a network of 250 world theatre festivals, institutes
and companies.
Vojdan Cernodrinski Teatre Festival
Named after the founder of drama and theatrical life in Mace-
donia, Vojdan Cernodrinski (1875-1951, the festival is the
oldest theatre event in Macedonia taking place in Prilep. It has
presented the best achievements of Macedonian professional
theatres for more than 40 years. Every four years it is fully dedi-
cated to Macedonian playwrights. Te festival is competitive
presenting awards for best performance in general, best actor,
best director, best script by a Macedonian author, best costume
design, etc., as well as a lifetime achievement award.
Risto Siskov Chamber Teatre Festival
Held in Strumica in honor of one of greatest Macedonian
actors, Risto Siskov, the festival presents the best chamber
theater performances of the previous 12 months in the coun-
try. A few years ago, it grew into an international event with
participation of chamber theatre groups from Macedonias
neighboring countries.
International Festival of Monodrama
Established in Bitola in 1999, the International Festival
of Monodrama takes place in early July and more than 70
monodramas have so far been staged by actors from Greece,
Ukraine, Croatia, Bosna and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro
and Albania. Tey all compete for the only Best Monodrama
Award.
May Opera Evenings
Held at the Macedonian National Teater in Skopje every year
throughout the month of May, this traditional international
music event had its 35th jubilee edition this year. Distinguished
opera singers and directors from about ffty countries the
world over have so far took part in this highly popular event.
Participating in all the performances, the ballet and opera
companies of the Macedonian National Teater have grown
into highly acclaimed ensembles worldwide.
Skopje Jazz Festival
Considered one of the best jazz festivals in Europe, the Skopje
Jazz Festival was established in 1982 by a group of jazz enthu-
siasts from Skopje. It is an international jazz event, taking place
in Skopjes Universal Hall every year in October. Tis is one of
May Opera Evenings. Te Macedonian Opera marked the
60
th
anniversary of the performance of its frst opera
on 9 May 1947.
Fascinating performance of the Russian Royal Ballet in Ohrid.
World-renowned tenor Jos Carreras accompanied by the
Macedonian Philharmonic Orchestra at the opening of the 45
th

international Ohrid Summer Festival.
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Macedonias leading music events nurturing all jazz styles. Over
the past 25 years the Skopje Jazz Festival program featured a
great many jazz celebrities including Freddie Hubbard, Ray
Charles, Tito Puente, Chick Korea, Count Basie, etc.
Balkan Festival of Folk Song and Dance
Traditionally held in Ohrid for almost 40 years from 5 to
10 July, the festival hosts folklore groups from the Balkans,
as well as from other European countries, Australia, Canada
and the United States.
Pece Atanasovski Festival
Held in late June and early July in the village of Dolneni, it is
a festival of original ethnic folk music played on traditional
instruments. Musicians from Macedonia and other Balkan
countries participate in the event.
Skopje Summer Festival
Starting on the rst day of the summer (21 June) and being
considered Macedonias most varied cultural festival, it takes
place every year, presenting a wealth of o-season cultural
events including musical concerts, operas, ballets, plays, avant-
garde theatre performances and multimedia projects. It was
established as an expression of the growing potential in the
elds of music and drama in Macedonia. Te festival has
hosted many artists from all over the world, including names
that marked the second half of the 20th century.
Galicnik Art Colony
Established in 1990, the colony assembles eminent artists in
the village of Galicnik every year in August. In addition, the
Galicnik Art Colony has established cooperation with presti-
gious art centers, where it has staged numerous exhibitions.
Ressen Pottery Colony
Over 800 works have been produced in the UNESCO-pro-
tected colony studio in the resort of Otesevo on Lake Prespa
over the last 35 years by numerous artists from all over Europe
and the United States.
St.Joakim of Osogovo International Art Colony
Te event promotes the cultural tradition of Macedonian
monasteries, and aims to unite the spiritual energy of Mace-
donian contemporary painting with other art cultures. Every
September it attracts artists from all over the world.
Small Montmartre of Bitola
Organized by the Cyril and Methodius Childrens Art Studio
from Bitola, this international childrens art colony takes place
every year in Bitola from 23 and 30 May. Young artists from
all over the world create works of art on the subject of the old
Macedonian architecture. All their paintings are then displayed
in Bitola and in many other towns in Macedonia.
Skopje Jazz Festival the venue where dierent cultures
from all over the world meet.
After four decades, Maestro Zubin Mehta in front of the
Skopje audience again.
Macedonian world-renowned pianist Simon Trpcevski in
front of the home audience.
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Holidays
NATIONAL AND OTHER HOLIDAYS:
Day of the Slav Educators, Ss. Cyril and Methodius - 24 May
Day of the Republic - 2 August
(Day of the Ilinden Uprising against the Turks in 1903
and Day of the Antifascist Assembly of the National Lib-
eration of Macedonia in 1944 1 non-working day)
Independence Day 8 September
(Day when the Macedonian people voted for independence
in the referendum held in 1991 1 non-working day)
Day of the Macedonian Rebellion 11 October
(Day when the rst armed actions of the Macedonian revo-
lutionaries against the fascists were carried out in the towns
of Prilep and Kumanovo in 1941 1 non-working day)
Day of the Macedonian Revolutionary Fight 23 October
St. Clement of Ohrid 8 December
_______________________
New Years Day 1 January
(Celebrating the New Year 1 non-working day)
Labor Day 1 May
(International Day of Workers 1 non-working day)
Christmas 7 January
(1 non-working day)
Easter Second Day of Easter
(1 non-working day)
Ramadan Bajram, First Day of Ramadan Bajram
RELIGIOUS AND OTHER HOLIDAYS:
ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN:
Badnik, Day before Christmas 6 January
Epiphany (Vodici) 19 January
Good Friday, Friday before Easter
Assumption of the Holy Mother of God 28 August
Pentecost, Friday before Pentecost
MUSLIM:
Kurban Bajram First Day of Kurban Bajram
(for those professing Islam)
ROMAN CATHOLIC:
First Day of Christmas, Second Day of Easter and All
Saints Day (for those professing Catholicism)
_______________________
Day of the Albanian Alphabet
(for ethnic Albanians) 22 November
Day of Teaching the Turkish Language
(for ethnic Turks) 21 December
Yom Kippur First Day of Yom Kippur (for Jews)
St. Sava (for ethnic Serbs) 27 January
International Roma Day (for the Roma) 8 April
National Day of Vlachs (for Vlachs) 23 May
International Day of Bosniaks (for Bosniaks) 28 September
European Canoe/Kayak Slalom Championships 2004. Skopje hosted also the World Canoe/Kayak
Slalom Championships on the River Treska rapids in 1974.
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Te Republic of Macedonia is a landlocked country located
in the heart of the Balkans, between 4051 and 4222' north
geographical latitude, and 2027' and 2302' east geographical
longitude. Situated in South East Europe, it is surrounded
by Bulgaria to the east, Albania to the west, Greece to the
south and Serbia / Kosovo
*
to the north. Tese borders
were marked after the Second World War, when Macedonia
became member of the United Nations as a federative unit
of the then Democratic Federative Republic of Yugoslavia.
With its signicant geo-strategic position, the Republic of
Macedonia is a major transportation corridor from Western
and Central Europe to the Aegean Sea.
Te total area of the Republic of Macedonia is 25,713
km
2
, out of which 25,279 km
2
is land area. Te distance
between the furthest points is 160 km from north to south
and 215 km from east to west.
Te total length of the borders is 850 km, out of which 191
km is shared with Albania, 165 km with Bulgaria, 262 km
with Greece, and 232 km with Serbia (out of which Kosovo
accounts for about two-thirds of the frontier). Macedonia
has lake borders with Albania (28 km) and Greece (20 km)
and river borders with Albania (12 km) and Greece (4 km).
Te population of the Republic of Macedonia is approxi-
mately 2 million. Te basic characteristic of the distribution
of the population is that nearly one third of the total number
of people live in the capital, Skopje, where the density of the
population is 291 people per square kilometer. In general
THE COUNTRY
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Country and People
* Kosovo is a province which has been under United Nations ad-
ministration since 1999
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the central and the western parts of the country are more
densely populated than the eastern part.
SURFACE MORPHOLOGY. Te relief map of the Republic of
Macedonia shows that Macedonia is a mountain-valley country
with dominantly mountainous terrain (80% of the total area),
whereas the remaining 20% are plain surfaces. Te average
altitude above sea level in Macedonia is 829 m. About one
quarter of the land is 500 m high or less, and slightly less than
half of the territory is 500-1000 meters above the sea level.
In Macedonia there are 34 mountaintops higher than 2000
m, the highest of them being Korab at 2,764 m.
Te Macedonian mountains are very dierent by their
shape. Ranging from mild round shape in the eastern part, to
fully Alpine in the western part, they oer great possibilities
for developing a variety of sports. Tere are a number of
ski centers, such as Popova Sapka on Sar Planina, Mavrovo
on Bistra, Begova Cesma on Baba, Krusevo, Otesevo on
Galicica and other smaller ski-centers.
According to the tectonic morphology, Macedonia is
divided to four zones: Rodopi zone, Vardar zone, Pelagonija
zone, and Western-Macedonian zone.
Tere are three large lakes, all of them with tectonic
origin and divided by frontier lines:
Lake Ohrid situated 693 meters above sea level,
stretches over 349 km
2
, out of which 119 km
2

belong to Albania. Te average depth of the lake is
164 m and the maximum depth is 286 m. A little
less than half of the water in Lake Ohrid comes from
its tributaries. Te remaining inow comes from
the springs fed by water owing out of the porous
karst mountains.
Over thousands of years, holes and channels have
formed within the mountain rock, carrying water
that originates in the Prespa watershed to Lake Ohrid.
Because Lake Prespa sits about 150 m above Lake
Ohrid, its waters run downhill to Lake Ohrid
through the channels in the karst.
Water ows out of Lake Ohrid near Struga, into the
Black Drim River.
In 1979, the UNESCO World Heritage Commit-
tee decided to inscribe Lake Ohrid on the World
Heritage List under natural criteria. In 1980, this
property was extended to include the cultural and
historical area, and cultural criteria were added.
Lake Prespa situated on three-border junction between
Macedonia, Albania and Greece is 853 meters above
sea-level, stretches over 274 km
2
, out of which 49,4
km
2
belong to Albania and 47,8 km
2
to Greece. Te
maximum depth of the lake is 54 m. Since May 1995
Lake Prespa has been included in the Ramsar List of
Wetlands of International Importance.
Lake Dojran situated on 148 meters above sea level,
stretches over 43 km
2
, out of which 16 km
2
belong to
Greece. Te maximum depth of the lake is 10 m.
Main Macedonian natural resources include chromium,
lead, zinc, copper, nickel, low grade iron ore, sulfur, timber,
and quartz.
Lake Ohrid, Trpeica beach. A holiday retreat oering tranquility and a wealth of historic venues.
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CLIMATE. In Macedonia there are three climate types
altered Mediterranean climate, moderate continental
climate and mountain climate. Te altered Mediterranean
climate, which comes as a result from the proximity of seas
(the Aegean Sea is 60 km away and the Adriatic Sea is 80
km away), can be sensed mostly along the river Vardar. Te
moderate-continental climate is characterized with relatively
cold and wet winters and warm summers, whereas the
springs are usually colder than the autumns. Te average
temperature of air is 11,5C. Te warmest month in the
year is July with an average temperature of 22C, whereas
the coldest month is January with an average temperature
of 0,3C. Te highest temperature is up to 44,5C, whereas
the lowest can reach -31,5C. Te average annual quantity
of rains is 742 mm.
ENVIRONMENT. Macedonia suers from high seismic hazard.
In the period between 1985 and 2003, 44 earthquakes of over
5 grades intensity of shake in the epicenter according to the
international seismology scale were registered. According to
the seismic movements, there are three seismogeneous zones
in Macedonia (along the rivers Drim, Vardar and Struma)
and four epicentral regions.
Macedonia pays much attention to protection of the living
environment. Air pollution from metallurgical and other
plants and sources are subject of continued investigation by
domestic and international science institutions.
PROTECTED AREAS. Protected areas in the Republic of Mace-
donia are classied according to the criteria of the World
Conservation Union (IUCN) and the Law on the Protection
of Rare Species (adopted in 1973).
Te protected area network covers 187,895 hectares, or
7.3% of the countrys territory.
Te status of protected environments or species has been
assigned to three national parks (108,338 hectares), four
strict natural reserves (12,855 hectares), three protected
areas with special natural characteristics (2,338 hectares),
14 plant and animal species living in areas outside the
natural reserves (2,709 hectares), and to 33 natural en-
vironments within the category of natural monuments
(61,655 hectares).
Te art of wild fruits and plants from the Macedonian national parks.
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Pelister National Park (12,500) is the oldest, having
obtained this status in 1948.
Among its ora elements, the presence of the ve-
needle pine molika (Pinus peuce) - a unique species
of tertiary age - is especially signicant.
Mavrovo National Park (73,088 hectares) is the largest.
It is presumed that it includes more than 1,000 types
of higher plant forms, about a hundred of which are
extremely rare or endemic to the Balkans.
Galicica National Park (22,750 hectares) is located
between Lake Ohrid and Lake Prespa. Nineteen
dierent forest communities have been discovered
here, indicating that the vegetation is very rich,
including several extremely rare types of ora.
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CULTURAL HERITAGE
Ohrid region - Brief Description
Situated on the shores of Lake Ohrid, the town of Ohrid is
one of the oldest human settlements in Europe. Built mainly
between the 7th and 19th centuries, it has the oldest Slav
monastery (St Pantelejmon) and more than 800 Byzantine-
style icons dating from the 11th to the end of the 14th
century. After those of the Tretiakov Gallery in Moscow,
this is considered to be the most important collection of
icons in the world.
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/99
Nomination:
Natural and Culturo-Historical region of Ohrid.
Te City of Ohrid is one of the eldest human establish-
ments not only of Macedonia and of the Balkans, but also
of Europe. It contains same of the most ancient Neolithic
archaeological sites, and others from the Bronze Age and
the Hellenistic period; it also has houses and churches from
the 7th to the 19th century, including the most ancient
Slavonic monastery dedicated to St. Pantelejmon.
Its churches exhibit more than 2.500 sq. metres of
frescoes and famous icons of worldwide fame. Te towns
architecture represents, with its old typical streets and
houses and its particular atmosphere around old squares,
the best preserved and most complete ensemble of ancient
urban architecture of this part of Europe.
Writing, education and Slavonic culture spread from
Ohrid. It is a cultural centre of great importance for his-
tory not only of this part of the Balkan Peninsula, but
also for all nations of
Slavonic tongue and literature and for world history
and literature.
Furthermore, this city and its historico- cultural region
are located in a natural setting of exceptional beauty already
included in the World Heritage List in October 1979.
Inclusion of this cultural property to the World Heri-
tage List is recommended under criteria 1,3 and 4 of the
Convention.
Te various buildings and structures are the property
of the State, the Macedonian Orthodox Church and the
Islamic Religious Community, and partly private property;
the religious and military buildings are generally wall
preserved, but special eorts should be devoted to housing
which is generally in a worst state of preservation.
ICOMOS, Paris, 1980.05
* Cited from the original document of the INTERNATION-
AL COUNCIL ON MONUMENTS AND SITES - ICOMOS
World Heritage List No.99
*
St. Jovan Bogoslov, Kaneo, Lake Ohrid, late 13
th
century.
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KOKINO
holy mountain
and ancient observatory
KOKINO - a village located 1,030m above sea level, where
remains of a megalithic observatory more then 3,800
years old have been found. Several markers (two major
ones) have been established that helped ancient people
observe the sky, determine the position and the movement
of the Sun and the Moon and measure time.
In the Republic of Mace-
donia in 2001, under the
mountain peak of Tatikev
Kamen, an archaeological
site was discovered from the
Bronze Age of the civilizations
development. Te discovered
artifacts in the archaeologi-
cal campaigns, as well as the
archaeological analysis in the
following years, demonstrated
that the site had all the char-
acteristics of a mythical mountain, as well as of an ancient
observatory. Today, this site is known under the name of the
Megalithic Observatory Kokino, or simply Kokino.
Te Kokino Megalithic Observatory is located in the
north-east part of Macedonia near its border with Serbia
(more precisely: geographic latitude 42.15 degrees, geographic
longitude 21.57 degrees). It is situated in the region of
the village of Kokino, on the border with the village of
Arbanasko.
In the broader region a rising number of archaeological
sites from the Roman and the broader ancient period, as
well as a large number of sites of the Iron, the Bronze, and
the Neolithic ages have been registered. Tis means that the
entire region has a long history of at least 7,000 years full of
important dwellings, holy places, events, and personalities.
Skopje, January 2007
Jovica Stankovski and Gjore Cenev
for Macedonian Aairs Vol. VI, No. 1
Liste Du
Patrimoine Mondial
*
Bien propos:
Contre naturelle et culturo-historique dOhrid.
La ville dOhrid est un des plus anciens lieux peupls
non seulement en Macdoine et dans les Balkans, mais
encore en Europe. Elle renferme des sites archologiques
parmi les plus anciens du nolithique, des sites de 1Age de
bronze et de la priode hellnistique; des habitations et des
glises du VII me au XIX me sicles, dont le monastre
slave le plus ancien, celui ddi St. Pantelejmon.
Ses glises sont ornes de plus de 2.500 m2 de fresques
et de clbres icnes connues mondialement.
Larchitecture de la ville avec ses rues et ses vieilles
maisons typiques et son ambiance particulire autour des
vieilles places, reprsente lensemble le mieux conserv
et le plus complet de larchitecture urbaine ancienne de
toute cette partie de lEurope. Cest dOhrid que sest
propage lcriture, linstruction et la culture slave. Ohrid
est une contre culturelle dune trs grande importance
pour lhistoire non seulement de cette partie de la p-
ninsule balkanique, mais encore pour toutes les nations
de langue et littrature slaves, ainsi que pour lhistoire et
la littrature mondiales.
De plus, cette ville et sa contre culturelle et historique
sont situes dans une rgion naturelle dune beaut excep-
tionnelle dj inscrite la Liste du patrimoine mondial
en octobre 1979.
Linscription de ce bien culture1 est recommande en
vertu des critres 1, 3 et 4 de la Convention.
INTEGRITE, AUTHENTICITE
ET ETAT DE PRESERVATION
En partie proprit de ltat, de lEglise orthodoxe
macdonienne et de la Communaut religieuse islamique
et en partie proprit prive, lensemble des btiments
religieux et militaires est gnralement bien prserv. Il
faudrait faire un eort pour les habitations qui elles sont
en plus mauvais tat.
ICCMOS, Paris, 1980.05
* Cit du document original du CONSEIL INTERNA-
TIONAL DES MONUMENTS ET DES SITES - ICOMOS
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Table: Population according to declared ethnic a liation, by censuses
Macedonia has a population of 2.042.894 according to the
estimated statistical data for 2006. Te last census of the
population was taken in 2002, when 2,022,547 citizens were
registered. Te previous census was taken in 1994, when the
population totaled 1,945,932. Tis counting was preceded
by the census taken in 1991, before the disintegration of
former Yugoslavia and it encompassed all citizens who were
staying in Macedonia at the time. Te census in 1994 was
the rst census conducted in independent Macedonia and
it encompassed the entire population with legal residence
in the Republic. In the census of 2002, for the rst time
Macedonian citizens residing out of Macedonia for more
than a year were not taken into account.
Te basic characteristic of the movement of population
in Macedonia is its decreasing growth rate, particularly in
the past decade. From 1976 to 1991, the growth rate de-
creased from 15.4 to 9.7 , whereas in 2002, it stood
at 4.8 . Te population growth rate was 4.4 in 2003,
2.7 in 2004, 2.0 in 2005, and was estimated at 2.2
for 2006.
Te growth rate is not equal on the entire territory of the
Republic of Macedonia, but varies from one municipality to
another. Te municipalities populated by Macedonian Alba-
nians and others professing Islam , like Tetovo, Gostivar, Saraj,
Cair, and Struga, have the highest growth rate, while Resen,
Bitola, Demir Hisar Berovo and Kratovo have the lowest.
Te Republic of Macedonia is not a relatively densely
populated country. Te average density was 78.7 people on
square kilometer in 2002 and was estimated at 79.4 people
on square kilometer in 2006. Te most densely populated
regions with over 100 people on square kilometer are the
Skopje valley (291 people/km
2
), the Polog valley (Dolni
Polog 167 people/km
2
and Gorni Polog 87 people/km
2
), the
Kumanovo valley and the Strumica valley. All other regions are
less densely populated with average density. Te number of
people per square kilometer is the lowest in the Porec region
THE POPULATION
1953 1961 1971 1981 1991 1994
1
2002
TOTAL 1,304,514 1,406,003 1,647,308 1,909,136 2,033,964 1,945,932 2,022,547
Macedonian 860,699 1,000,854 1,142,375 1,279,323 1,328,187 1,295,964 1,297,981
Albanian 162,524 183,108 279,871 377,208 441,987 441,104 509,083
Vlach 8,668 8,046 7,190 6,384 7,764 8,601 9,695
Roma 20,462 20,606 24,505 43,125 52,103 43,707 53,879
Turkish 203,938 131,484 108,552 86,591 77,0 80 78,019 77,959
Austrian 24 12 9 30 15 8 35
Bosniak ... ... ... ... ... 6,829 17,018
Bulgarian 920 3,087 3,334 1,980 1,370 1,682 1,487
German 136 94 77 288 230
*
68 88
Greek 848 836 536 707 474 368 422
Jew 55 47 32 27 26 23 53
Egyptian - - - - 3,307 3,080 3,713
Italian 41 57 48 96 74 61 46
Muslim 1,591 3,002 1,248 39,513 31,356 15,418 2,553
Polish 24 26 72 223 248 158 162
Romanian 103 135 105 97 87 37 38
Russian 672 640 516 359 332 340 368
Ruthenian 127 124 59 23 51 11 24
Slovak 20 64 46 67 56 60 60
Slovene 983 1,147 838 648 513 403 365
Serb 35,112 42,728 46,465 44,468 42,775 40,228 35,939
Ukrainian - - 50 68 74 102 136
Hungarian 207 252 229 280 222 128 128
Croat 2,770 3,801 3,882 3,307 2,878 2,248 2,686
Montenegrin 2,526 3,414 3,246 3,920 3,225 2,318 2,003
Czech 114 92 80 164 143 84 60
Other 1,950 2,350 22,845 18,792 36,313 2,408 5,332
Ethnically undeclared ... ... 414 505 1,791 1,882 404
Regional a liation - - 684 943 1,303 593 829
Source: State Statistical O ce
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(12 people/km
2
), the Malesevo region (24 people/km
2
) and
the Prespa region (31 people/km
2
).
Demographic analyses of the data from the 2002 census
present concerning information on the age structure of the
population. Due to a gradual drop in the birth rate in the
past 30 years and due to the migration of the younger popula-
tion abroad the population up to 15 years of age participates
with 21.8% in the total population while population older
than 65 years of age participates with 10.57% in the total
population. According to the estimated data for 2005, this
population constitutes 11%. For comparison, in 1994 the
young population accounted for 23.99%, while the old
population made up 8.82% of the total population. As far as
the sex structure is concerned, in the Republic of Macedonia
according to the last census 50.2% of the population are men
and 49.8% are women.
Te majority of the population in the Republic of Mace-
donia is Macedonian. Te percentage of the many ethnic
groups that live in Macedonia varied depending on the
migration movements and the growth rate.
According to the 2002 census, 64.8% were Orthodox
Christians, Muslims 33.3%, Catholic 0.3%, and 1.5%
professed other religious a liation. According to the data
from the same year, 66.5% of the population said that the
Macedonian language was their mother-language, 25.1%
said that it was the Albanian language, 3.5% Turkish and
4.9% said that it was some other language.
Out of the migration movements, the village-town migra-
tion has the largest inuence on the structure of the population
in the Republic of Macedonia. Starting from the second half
of the 20
th
century and following the process of urbanization,
the number of urban population is constantly increasing at
the expense of the number of rural population.
Te number of households in Macedonia increased by
over 200% in the last 50 years, whereas the average number
of family members per household decreased from 5.3 to
3.6. According to the census of 2002, in Macedonia there
are 564,296 households.
Te latest data indicates an increase in one-member
families from 8.89% in 1994 to 9.6% in 2002. Te older
population, especially in the rural areas, accounts for most
of these one-member families, or 57.32%. Young people of
up to 25 years of age, account for 1.26% of this category
of households.
Skopje. Front: Chivte Amam (Old Turkish bath), 16th century.
Behind: Mustafa Pasha mosque, 1519 with especially attractive tall minaret,
made of carved stone, whereas the expanded part is decorated with ornaments.
BASIC DEMOGRAPHIC INDICATORS
Growth rate: 4.8/1,000 population
Birth rate: 13.6/1,000 population
Death rate: 8.8/1,000 population
Infant mortality rate: 10.2/1,000 born children
Population density: 78.7 inhabitants/km
2
Vitality index: 154.6 livebirths/100 deaths
Marriage rate: 7.1/1,000 population
Divorce rate: 90.2/1,000 marriages
Life expectancy: (2000-2002) all: 73.12
males: 70.77
females: 75.56
(2003-2005) all: 73.62
males: 71.44
females: 75.88
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Macedonia is a historical region that originates from the
ancient period
1
. Te zenith of the Macedonian kingdom, its
unity, independence and predominance political, military
and economic reached its apogee in the 4
th

century BC
when the famous Philip II ( 336 B.C.) and Alexander III
2

(356 - 323 B.C.) ruled the prestigious Kingdom of Mace-
donia the Great.
After the dissolution of the Empire, the territory of Macedonia
fell rst under Roman and later under Byzantine rule. In the
course of several centuries, the ancient Macedonians mixed
with other ethnic groups such as Roman colonists.
Te penetration of Slavic tribes towards the Balkans ended
at the beginning of the seventh century and created a new
situation Macedonias population mixed with the Slav
newcomers but retained the Macedonian name, traditions
and culture. At the beginning of this period the Macedonians
were organized independently in their own tribal communities
(sklavinas). Later, they fell under Byzantine and Bulgarian
rule, alternatively.
After the death of Bulgarian czar Peter (969), an uprising
started intended to overthrow central Bulgarian rule. Te
Macedonian brothers David, Moses, Aaron and Samuel
3
headed
the uprising. Historical sources indicate that later there were
uprisings against the Byzantine Empire as well. When three
of the brothers, David, Moses and Aaron, were killed in the
battles against the Bulgarians and Byzantines, Samuel (976
1014) took over all power. Applying similar battle tactics as
Alexander the Great in his numerous quests, Samuel managed
AN OUTLINE OF MACEDONIAN HISTORY FROM ANCIENT TIMES TO 1991
1
Te history of the ancient Macedonian kingdom begins with Caranus, who was the rst known Macedonian King (808-778 BC). By the 5
th
century BC the
Macedonians expanded and forged a unied kingdom under Alexander I (498-454 B.C.).
2
Also known as Alexander the Great.
3
Sons of Macedonian Prince Nikola. All carry biblical names indicating that Christianity had already spread to Macedonia.
History
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to liberate the entire territory of ethnic Macedonia and even
expand his kingdom through neighboring territories reaching
Danube in Bulgaria, Peloponnesus in current day Greece, Epirus
and current day Albania, Zeta and Srem current day Serbia.
At the peak of his kingdom, Samuel moved the seat of his
kingdom from the island St. Achilles, Prespa to Ohrid where
he was crowned king. In the period from 969 until 1018, a
vast empire of the Macedonians emerged, second empire of
the Macedonians after the empire of Alexander the Great, the
Empire of King Samuel with its capital in Ohrid. Testimonies
to this empire are the castles he built, of which the most well
known is located above Ohrid, which exists even today.
Tis Empire was destroyed by strong assaults of the Byzan-
tine army headed by the emperor Basil II. Te last crucial
battle was the battle at the mountain of Belasica (current
day eastern Macedonia) in the year 1014. In this battle over
50,000 Macedonian soldiers were killed, whereas 15,000
captured soldiers were blinded. Te Byzantines left one eye
25 January 1991:
Macedonias Parliament, following the rst multi-party elections,
unanimously adopted a Declaration of Sovereignty.
8 September 1991:
An overwhelming majority of the Macedonian public approved
a referendum on independence.
- 1,495,807 were registered to vote for the referendum.
- 1,074,855 (71.86%) actually cast their vote.
Out of registered voters, 1,021,981 (68.32%) voted for inde-
pendence. Out of those who actually voted, 95.08% were for
independence. Out of the registered voters, 38,986 (2.61%) voted
against independence. 13,986 ballots were registered as invalid.
17 September 1991:
Macedonias Parliament passed a declaration a rming the
results of the referendum. As a result of the declaration, Yu-
goslav federal laws have no further eect where they conict
with Macedonian law.
17 November 1991:
A new Constitution was adopted by the Parliament.
2 December 1991:
Te Macedonian Parliament instructed the republics president
Kiro Gligorov to send a letter to European heads of states and
governments seeking recognition of Macedonia.
11 January 1992:
Te European Community Arbitration Commission made the
following recommendation:
Macedonia satises the tests in the Guidelines on the Recogni-
tion of New States in Eastern Europe and in the Soviet Union
and the declaration of Yugoslavia adopted by the Council of the
European Communities on 16 December 1991.
30 July 1992:
President Gligorov sent a letter to the United Nations Secretary
General, Dr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, in which the republic ap-
plied for UN membership. Another letter was sent stating that
Macedonia accepts the obligation in the UN Chapter.
8 April 1993:
Macedonia became a member state in UN.
ROAD TO INDEPENDENCE
Skopje, whichever way you turn, centuries of history.
Front: church St. Dimitrija 19th century built on the
foundations of a medieval church.
Center: Te Old Skopje Fortress. Its original foundations
are more than 4000 years old. Te fortress received its
current form in approximately 535 AD when its walls were
constructed using stones from the ancient town of Skupi.
Behind: Mustafa Pasha mosque, 1519 AD.
Far right: Daut Pasha Amam, 15th century. Old Turkish
bath, today the national gallery of Macedonia.
Right center: entrance to the old Skopje Bazaar.
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to every hundredth soldier to lead the others back to their
king
4
. When king Samuel learned of the fate of his army, he
suered a heart attack and died on his throne in the Prilep
castle. Te tradition of King Samuels state remains deeply
rooted in the minds of the Macedonian people, praised in
numerous folk tales and folk songs fueling the fantasies of
Macedonian patriots striving towards the future creation of
an independent state.
Te period of expansion of medieval states on the Balkan and
in Macedonia was followed by the occupation of the Ottoman
Empire in the 14
th
century. Macedonia remained a part of the
Ottoman Empire for 500 years, i.e. until 1912.
By 1870, Greece, Bulgaria and Serbia, with the help of their
patrons France, Russia and Austro-Hungary, liberated them-
selves from the Ottoman Empire.
5
In 1870, peace was declared
between Greece, Bulgaria and Serbia on one side and Turkey
on the other. In the period of the Eastern Crisis and the Berlin
Congress (1878), Macedonia was left under the Ottomans
although some concessions were granted to the people.
During the rule of the Ottomans, the Macedonians organized
a number of uprisings against the Turkish yoke headed by
leaders called voivodas
6
. Some of the most famous uprisings
were the Mariovo Prilep uprising (1564-1565), Karposh
uprising (1689), the Kresnen Uprising (1878) and many
more local uprisings.
Te greatest uprising in Macedonian history occurred on
August 2, 1903
7
, on St. Elias Day, when Macedonian revo-
lutionaries
8
organized the Macedonians and the entire popu-
lation to a rebellion against Ottoman rule. Large parts of
Macedonia were liberated. Te largest free territory was the
town of Krushevo and the territory around it. Te Krushevo
Republic was declared, the rst republic on the Balkans with
a President and Parliament with representatives of all ethnic
communities. However, the Republic existed only 10 days,
because the Ottoman Empire sent a large army that crushed
the uprising and put an end to the Republic and demolished
the town and the surrounding villages.
Even after the destruction of the Republic, the Macedonians
continued to resist, and the Ottoman rule weakened. Soon
after the Vinica Uprising, the Revolution of the Young Turks
began in 1908. Macedonian soldiers headed by Jane Sandanski
from the organization VMRO
9
took part in the revolution.
After the revolution, the Ottoman Empire was taken over
by the Young Turks (one of their leaders was Mustafa Kemal
Attaturk
10
who managed to establish the Republic of Turkey
after the First World War). Te newly formed Parliament
of Turkey included in its composition two Macedonians as
representatives of Macedonia. In this period, Macedonia was
granted the right to national Macedonian self-organizing,
more precisely autonomy.
4
Te famous monastery of Vodocha in Strumica, Republic of Macedonia, was built on the site where the soldiers were blinded. (Vodocha take eyes out, transl.)
5
In the liberation wars, the Greek, Bulgarian and Serb armies did not proceed onto Macedonian territory because it was not theirs. Te Greek armies stopped
at the mountain Olympus, the Bulgarian at the mountains Rila and Kitka, whereas the Serb armies stopped advancing near Vranje.
6
Famous leaders were Karposh, Goce Delchev, Jane Sandanski, Nikola Karev, Damjan Gruev, Pitu Guli, Lazo Trpovski, Parapunov, Dimitar Pop-Gjorgjiev,
Nikola Petrov-Rusinski and others.
7
Tis year Macedonia is celebrating the 100 year jubilee from the uprising.
8
Organized in TMORO Secret Macedonian - Odrin Revolutionary Organization, which was formed in 1893 in Tessalonica (current day Greece).
9
VMRO (Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization) is the successor of TMORO.
10
Mustafa Kemal Attaturk was raised and educated in Macedonia.
Left: Mosaic compositions with gurative oral and zoomorphic motifs. Part of approximately 100m
2
of mosaics unearthed recently in the
central part and baptistery of a monumental early Christian church built in the 5
th
century. Te church was located on Plaoshnik above
Ohrid and its splendor indicates that it was the seat of the bishopric of Lichnidos. Right: Detail from the newly constructed church of St.
Pantelejmon on Plaoshnik built on the foundations of the church constructed by St. Clement in the 9
th
century. In 2002 the remains of St.
Clement, the great Slavic educator, were returned to their original resting place in the tomb in this church after 530 years of absence.
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However, in 1912 and 1913 three Balkan states Bulgaria,
Serbia and Greece, waged the Balkan wars intending to conquer
and divide ethnic Macedonia between them. Te Balkan Wars
between Greece, Bulgaria and Serbia ended with the treaty
of Bucharest in 1913, with which, in spite of the protests of
the Macedonians, ethnic Macedonia was divided into three
parts. 50% of Macedonian territory fell under the Kingdom of
Greece
11
, 39% under the Kingdom of Serbia (later Kingdom
of Yugoslavia)
12
and 10% under the Kingdom of Bulgaria
13
.
1% of Macedonian territory went to Albania.
During World War II (1941-1945), Macedonians from all
three parts took part in the anti-fascist coalition for creating
their own state Macedonia, respecting the promise from the
Atlantic charter that all nations who take part in the struggle
against fascism shall choose their own form of government
and shall be aorded the means of dwelling in safety within
their own boundaries, and which will aord assurance that all
the men in all lands may live out their lives in freedom from
fear and want.
As a result, in 1941 in the Vardar part of Macedonia there
was simultaneous uprising against the fascist occupation in
Prilep and Kumanovo, whereas in 1942 there were upris-
ings in the Aegean part of Macedonia (in Lerin and Kostur)
headed by Lazo Trpovski and in the Pirin part of Macedonia
(in Dupnica) headed by Parapunov. In spite of the lack of
coordination, the intention was clear liberation of the entire
territory of Macedonia. However, only the people in the Var-
dar part managed to create a state in the face of the Peoples
Republic of Macedonia within the framework of then Federal
Republic of Yugoslavia. Te Macedonians in the Pirin part
of Macedonia were granted autonomy and certain cultural
and ethnic rights in 1946, but these rights were revoked at
the end of the decade at the height of the cold war. In the
Aegean part of Macedonia there was a civil war in which the
Macedonians took part hoping to acquire certain ethnic and
cultural right, however at the end of the civil war hundreds
of thousands of Macedonians were exiled and any show of
ethnic Macedonian identity was banned.
Te Republic of Macedonia was proclaimed at the rst ses-
sion of the Antifascist Assembly for the Peoples Liberation
of Macedonia (on St. Elias Day August 2, 1944
14
). Later,
by special Act, it became a constitutive part of the Federal
Republic of Yugoslavia.
The first multi-party elections for representatives in the
Parliament of the Republic of Macedonia were held on
November 11
th
, 1990, establishing parliamentary democracy
in Macedonia.
In accordance with the Charter of the United Nations con-
cerning self-determination and equal rights, the Assembly
of the Republic of Macedonia adopted the Declaration for
Inter national Recognition of the Republic of Macedonia on
Septem ber 17
th
, 1991, which conrmed the will of the citizens
to live in a sovereign and independent state. According to the
Constitution adopted November 17
th
, 1991, the Republic
of Mace donia is a sovereign, independent, democratic and
social state.
April 8, 1993, Macedonia becomes a UN member state.
11
Popularly called Aegean Macedonia.
12
Popularly called Vardar Macedonia.
13
Popularly called Pirin Macedonia.
14
As a continuation of the famous St. Elias Day uprising on August 2
nd
1903.
Shadrvan in the Arabati Baba Teke (Dervish monastery),
18
th
century, Tetovo. Inset: Cupola of the Shadrvan recently
renovated with a donation from the Government of Turkey.
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Te Christianizing of Macedonia and Europe began in the
year 51 A.D. when, for the rst time on European soil, in
the Macedonian towns of Filippi and Tessalonica, St. Paul
preached Christianity. As a result many regard Macedonia a
biblical country, one of the rare few to be mentioned in the
Holy Scriptures. St. Paul made two journeys
1
to Macedonia
2

accompanied by the apostles Timothy and Silas who would
remain in Macedonia to continue St. Pauls work. At the
beginning of the 4
th
century the Christians in Macedonia
already had an organized church with an established eccle-
siastical hierarchy whose bishops regularly participated at
ecumenical councils.
Te work of the holy apostles was the basis for the evangelic
work of the St. Fifteen Martyrs at the beginning of the 4
th

century and St. Teolo in the 7
th
century. Tis is a period
in which signicant Christian basilicas would be built
throughout Macedonia, the remna nts of which can still
be found today.
During the rule of the Byzantium Emperor Justinian I
(527 565), who was born in the village Tauresium near
current day Skopje, a new town was built on the Emperors
birthplace and named in his honor Justiniana Prima. Te
bishop of Skopje was raised to an autocephalous Archbishop.
Cathellian is the rst recorded Archbishop of Justiniana
THE CHRISTIANIZING OF MACEDONIA AND
THE MACEDONIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
Virgin Mary (Bogorodica Psihosostrija), beginning of 14
th
century
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Prima to be followed by Benenat, Paul, John I, Leaon and
John IX who in 680 81 would participate in the Trullian
Council in Constantinople.
Te spreading of Christianity and literacy in the region
was continued in the 9
th
century by the Slavic Illumina-
tors, educators and teachers, St. Cyril and St. Methodius
(826-869 and 815-885), Macedonian brothers from Solun
(today Tessalonica) who created the new Glagolica and
later Cyrillic alphabet, translated the Bible, holy scriptures
and numerous religious books from Greek and Latin into
Macedonian and Slavic languages, and laid the foundations
of Macedonian and Slavic literacy and literature
3
. Te rst
Slavic alphabet Glagolica was created on Macedonian soil,
for the needs of the Macedonians, but received pan-Slavic
character with the Moravija
4
and Bohemia mission of St.
Cyril and St. Methodius who spread the alphabet among
the other Slavic peoples. As a sign of his gratitude and ad-
miration Pope Adrian II named the two brothers bishops.
After their death on December 31, 1980, Pope John Paul II
declared St. Cyril and St. Methodius co-patrons of Europe
along with St. Benedict.
After the death of the holy brothers St. Cyril (in Rome) and
St. Methodius (in Moravija), their disciples, the most famous
being St. Clement (840-916) and St. Naum
5
(the Ohrid
miracle-workers), Sava, Gorazd and Angelarij, returned to
Macedonia, settled in Ohrid and continued the work of their
teachers. After founding the rst Slav-Macedonian bishopric
in Vodocha near Strumica, and opening a number of schools
throughout Macedonia, St. Clement went to Ohrid and
established the rst University on the Balkan
6
. More than
3,500 priests, deacons, doctors, agronomists and teachers
would graduate from the University
7
.
In Ohrid, St. Clement founded the well-known Ohrid
Archbishopric and in 893 was ordained the rst bishop of
Velika (the Ohrid region). Te Ohrid Archbishopric would
remain of exceptional importance for Christianity, culture
and identity of Macedonia and the Macedonians throughout
the centuries.
In the 10
th
century king Samuel, after obtaining the Popes
blessing, raised the Ohrid Archbishopric to the level of a
Patriarchy. Ohrid then became the ecclesiastical and spiri-
tual center of the Macedonian State and grew into a true
medieval metropolis.
After the fall of king Samuels Empire, the Byzantium Emperor
Vasileus II believed that his subjects would be obedient if
the Church was involved. Tus, he decided to reduce the
church to the level of an Archbishopric but allowed for
Ohrid to remain the center of the Ohrid Archbishopric,
which would continue to exist as such until 1767. During
the reign of Vasileus II the Ohrid Archbishopric consisted
of 32 dioceses.
When the Ottoman Empire conquered the Balkan Peninsula
they decided not to change signicantly the ecclesiastic
map of the Balkans
8
. At the time the dioceses of the Ohrid
Archbishopric encompassed the entire territory of ethnic
Macedonia. Furthermore, during this period of its existence
the Ohrid Archbishopric managed to maintain power over
nine dioceses and ve bishoprics.
During the rule of the Ottoman Empire in Macedonia, i.e.
by the middle of the 18
th
century, the Ohrid Archbishopric
1
St. Paul made his rst journey in 51 A.D. In 52 and 53 A.D. he sent apostles to the people of Tessalonica and in 57 A.D. he made his second trip to Macedonia.
2
As described in the Holy Scriptures:
First journey: During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, Come over to Macedonia and help us. (Acts 16:9) After
Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. (Acts 16:10). From there
we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days. (Acts 16:12).
Second journey: St Paul was in Ephesus when he decided to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia. After I have been there, he said, I must
visit Rome also. (Acts 19:21) He sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he stayed in the province of Asia a little longer. (Acts 19:22).
After that, Apostle Paul met with the Macedonians Gaius and Aristarchus, the rst from the town of Dobor (near current day Strumica) and the second from
Tessalonica and traveled to Macedonia with them, visiting the Christians in Filippi, Tessalonica, Dobor, Stobi and Heraklea (now Bitola) along the Roman
road Via Ignatia to Rome. As it is written in the works of the apostles when he left Macedonia he had established Christian evangelic life in Macedonia. And
now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. (2 Corinthians 8:1)
3
In the constellation of the Christian cultures of the time, St. Cyril and St. Methodius had to wage a erce struggle against the supporters of the three-lingual
stance, who considered that the word of God could only be spread in Hebrew, Greek and Latin. St. Cyril vanquished these positions, a rming the right of each
and every nation to an education in its own language.
4
Today in the Czech and Slovak Republic.
5
St. Naum would establish the rst monastery on the shores of lake Ohrid.
6
Within the frame of the university, the Ohrid Literary School would continue to produce numerous books on religious service, long after the university ceased
to exist. Among the best known is the Bologna Psalter - an important Macedonian manuscript. Today this literary work is kept in Bologna (Italy) and it bears
the name by this city. Te Bologna Psalter contains 264 papyrus sheets. It was written by Beloslav, Josif and Tihota, literates from the village of Ramne, Ohrid
region, in the period between 1230-1242. In those days manuscripts were usually written by hand on papyrus, and lavishly ornamented and gilded. It is said
that the Bologna Psalter is one of the most magnicent Slavic manuscripts from XIII century. It was edited in Macedonian, and its orthography is characteristic
for the Ohrid Literary School.
7
As part of his eorts to spread knowledge, St. Clement reformed St. Cyrils alphabet, naming it the Cyrillic alphabet in honor of his teacher. St. Clementss
alphabet closely resembles the modern alphabet used today in Macedonia, as well as in Russia, Serbia, Montenegro and Bulgaria.
8
Four independent (autocephalous) churches existed within the empire: - the Ohrid (Macedonian) Archbishopric, which governed ethnic Macedonia; - the Con-
stantinople Patriarchy which governed Greece; - the Pec (Serbian) Patriarchy which governed Serbia; - the Trnovo (Bulgarian) Patriarchy which governed Bulgaria.
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was unable to pay the high taxes to the Sultan because the
Christian people in Macedonia were poor and the churches
had no money. Tat is why Sultan Mustafa III passed a
decision banning the Ohrid Archbishopric and ordered
the Archbishop to be imprisoned. Te management of the
Macedonian ethnic territory from ecclesiastic aspect was
handed over to the Constantinople Patriarchy in 1767.
Te high priests in Macedonia made several attempts to
reestablish St. Clementss archbishopric, but the Constanti-
nople Patriarchy would not allow that. After the division of
Macedonia in 1913, the Serbian and the Bulgarian church
purchased from the Turks the bishoprics in Macedonia, thus
buying the religious power over them. Only the part that was
given to Greece and the bishoprics in it remained under the
rule of the Constantinople Patriarchy, as they are today
9
.
In accordance with the two centuries long struggle to re-
establish the Ohrid Archbishopric, Macedonian Orthodox
Christians and the clergy held an assembly in Izdeglavje in
1943 on the rst small piece of free Macedonian territory,
when the battle against the fascists was still in progress, and
reached a formal decision to re-establish the Ohrid and
Macedonian Archbishopric. Just before the end of the war,
in 1944, in the village Gorno Vranovci an Initiative Board
was formed for re-establishing the Ohrid Archbishopric. In
1945, in the independent Peoples Republic of Macedonia, a
Resolution was passed at the First clergy-national Assembly
to re-establish the Ohrid Archbishopric as the Macedonian
Orthodox Church. Tis decision was further formalized at
the Second clergy-national Assembly in 1958 when bishop
Dositej was appointed the rst Archbishop
10
. In 1967, the
Macedonian Orthodox Church was proclaimed Autocepha-
lous at the formal session of the Holy Synod in the church of
St. Clement in Ohrid. Te Holy Synod of the Macedonian
Orthodox Church made the act of proclamation public
during Holy Liturgy on July 19, 1967
11/12
.
9
As a result of this, in the Aegean part of ethnic Macedonia (current day Greece), all old monasteries and churches, along with the bishoprics, are still governed by
the Constantinople Patriarchy. In many bishoprics and towns in Aegean Macedonia, there are two bishops one appointed by Constantinople, one by Athens.
10
Te Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church agreed with the decisions of the Macedonian clergy-national Assembly in the resolution AS. No 47/1959
and 6/1959, minutes 57 of June 17/4, 1959.
As a sign of agreement with the formation of the Macedonian Orthodox Church, the Serbian Patriarch German held Liturgy with Archbishop Dositej on July
19, 1959, in Skopje, in the church of St. Mina. At the same time, Clement was ordained the bishop of Prespa and Bitola and later in the church of St. Nicholas in
Shtip, Naum was ordained the bishop of the diocese of Zletovo and Strumica. With this a su cient number of bishops were ordained allowing for the formation of
the Holy Synod of the Macedonian Orthodox Church, established together with other administrative bodies and dioceses in compliance with the Constitution of
the Macedonian Orthodox Church. In May 1962, accompanied by Patriarch German and other representatives of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Alexis
of Moscow visited the Macedonian Orthodox Church. Among them were bishops Nicodemus, Pimen and other dignitaries of the Russian Orthodox Church.
On St. Cyril and St. Methodius day, in the church of the Holy Mother of God Kamenska, in Ohrid, Patriarch Alexis of Moscow, Patriarch German and the
Macedonian Archbishop Dositej held a joint Holy Liturgy. It was the rst Holy Liturgy to be held by the head of the Macedonian Orthodox Church with heads
of other Orthodox Churches.
11
Exactly on the second centennial after the Ohrid Archbishopric was banned by Sultan Mustafa III in 1767.
12
Today the Macedonian Orthodox Church has established 7 dioceses in Macedonia and 3 abroad (Australia, Europe and the USA and Canada).
Monastary St. Naum. Te original monastary was built by St. Naum himself
at the end of the 9
th
century. It received its current form in the 16
th
and 17
th
century.
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hen Julian the Apostate comes to power in Rome
(361-363) he banned Christianity and declared
his paganism. His orders reached the nobles in
the city of Nicea, Asia Minor, the same city in which the rst
Ecumenical (universal) Council was held in 325 AD. As a
result many Christians would leave the city of Nicea in search
of safety. Among those who left the city were Timotej, Komasoj,
Efsevij and Tedor. Tey would rst ee to Solun (current day
Tessalonica, Republic of Greece), where they were met with
the same persecution. Terefore they relocated to Tiveriopol
(current day Strumica, Republic of Macedonia) where Timotej
was appointed bishop of the church of Tiveriopol, which had
been established by St. Paul on his visits to Macedonia. Here
they were joined by other Christians and would form a group
of 15. Of the fteen Timotej and Teodor were bishops, while
Komasij, Evsevij, Teodor, Peter, John, Sergej and Nikifor were
priests. Vasilij and Toma were deacons. While Jerotej, Danil
and Hariton were monks and Sokrat, once a soldier, now
dedicated himself to preaching Christianity.
Te fteen preached Christianity throughout the region
and built a church on the site of an old Christian basilica. Te
church of Tiveriopol would become a beacon drawing many
and enlightening other cities in the region. According to old
scriptures describing their lives, not one soul would remain
a pagan in Tiveriopol and that all accepted Christianity after
hearing their sermons.
Word of their good deeds and the miracles they performed
spread in all directions and eventually reached the nobles
Valent and Philip in Tessalonica. Tey went to Tiveriopol
and commanded the fteen to renounce Christianity. Te
fteen not only refused but publicly conrmed their Christian
faith, adding that even though Emperor Julian the Apostate
renounced his faith they would never renounce God. At that
point the nobles ordered that the fteen be tortured. Even
during their torture the fteen did not renounce Christian-
ity but they shamed their tormentors with the wisdom of
their words. Because of this the tormentors decided to kill
them. Each of the fteen was placed on the ground and cut
to pieces and the pieces thrown all over and left for the dogs
and animals. Yet no animal ate from the esh of the fteen.
One of the soldiers cut the hand of Peter and threw it into
the hands of a blind woman standing by the road waiting for
someone to throw her food. Tinking it was food, she raised
the hand to take a bite, when a miracle occurred and she could
see again. Bewildered she wrapped the hand in ne cloth and
took it home. Te family entrusted the hand to each next
generation until it was decided to place the hand in the church
St. Dimitrija in Strumica. In 1913 AD, during the division
of ethnic Macedonia (between Greece, Serbia and Bulgaria),
retreating Greek bishops and priests rst took the hand to
Tessalonica and later to Kukush (current day Kilkis,Republic
of Greece) where it is kept even today, protected in a silver
glove, in the church St. Fifteen Martyrs".
Te Fifteen Martyrs ended their earthly life in the year 362
AD on December 11 (28 of December according to the old
calendar) , in the city of Tiveriopol blessing with their blood the
earth, which to this day is called St. Fifteen. At the place of
their death the Christians built a church and with holy prayers
each of the fteen was buried in a separate grave in
the church. A magnicent fresco of the fteen would
be placed in middle of the church. Many would come
and nd salvation and would be healed of their illnesses
in the church.
Te city of Tive rio pol itself will become even more known
in the 7
th
century through the work of St. Teolo of Strumica.
In the 9
th
century the barbarian tribes of the Obri who were
pagans would attack many cities in Macedonia among which
was also Tiveriopol. Tey burned houses, killed and eventu-
ally leveled to the ground the church of St. Fifteen and its
location was lost over time.
When the Byzantium Empire conquered Macedonia, as
noble and ruler of the Strumica/Bregalnica region would be
placed St. Methodius (in the period 855-865) who would be
joined by his brother Constantine, later known as St. Cyril.
Here he would write the rst Slavic alphabet for the Slavic
population of Bregalnica and he would convert to Christianity
54 000 people. St. Cyril and Methodius and their disciples St.
Clement and St. Naum would also establish the rst Slavic
bishopric in Tiveriopol.
Troughout this period the resting place and the location
of the old church of the St. Fifteen Martyrs would remain
forgotten and would be overgrown with old oak trees. Yet the
citizens of Strumica would consider this place holy and would
light candles and pray in this place. Te earth protected this
holly place though the darkness of the rule of the Ottoman
Empire, the chaos of the partitioning of Macedonia after the
Balkan wars and the World Wars.
After the re-establishment of the Macedonian Orthodox
Church in 1958 and the re-establishment of its Autocephal-
ity, the citizens of Strumica decided that they would build a
church dedicated to the St. Fifteen Martyrs on the piece of
land that all felt was a holy place, the site where people often
gathered to pray and light candles.
In a miraculous way when the construction work started in
1972 it immediately uncovered the foundations of the original
church of the St. Fifteen Martyrs. In the middle of the church
on the oor would be found the magnicent fresco of the St.
Fifteen, while their graves would be found around the altar.
Te construction of the new church was moved slightly and
build next to the foundations of the old church which would
be transformed into a museum. Te new church would be
consecrated on May 9
th
1982 in a ceremony massively attended
by Macedonians, beleivers and clerics of many countries.
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In 1903, the Macedonian issue attracted the attention of
diplomats and international public opinion. Te event that
contributed to the a rmation of the Macedonian cause was
the Ilinden Uprising1, the Macedonian revolution from
August 2, 1903.
Te Ilinden Uprising from 1903 represented the surfacing
of the century-long strive of the Macedonian people, suering
under the ve century long rule of the Ottoman Empire, to
reach the pedestal of freedom.
In the course of the 18th century, important changes oc-
curred in Macedonia: the Ottoman feudal system started to
fall apart, transition from a barter economy to a monetary
economy, growth of large Macedonian cities, creation of
a middle class and beginnings of a cultural and national
awakening, expansion of an education network, creation of a
contemporary literature and publication of numerous books
in Macedonian. Tis brought about a period of enlightenment
and awakening of the Macedonian nation.
In the last decade of the 19th century, conditions were nally
ripe for the creation of an organization that would channel the
aspirations of the Macedonian people for freedom. In 1983,
Macedonian revolutionaries met in Aegian Macedonia, in
the city of Tessalonica (current day Greece) and created the
organization named Secret Macedonian-Odrin Revolution-
ary Organization (TMRO). Te organization would play a
crucial role in uniting the people of Macedonia in their strive
towards freedom and an independent Macedonian state.
In only one decade, this organization managed to unite all
Macedonian forces, spread the network of the organization
on the entire territory of ethnic Macedonia and channel the
liberation movement in the right direction.
At the beginning of January 1903, the Central Committee
of the Organization, in spite of the unfavorable domestic and
international situation and against the better judgement of
some prominent revolutionaries, decided to start an upris-
ing that summer. Tat decision marked the beginning of a
new phase in the development of the Macedonian national
liberation movement, and represented a turning point in
its history.
Once the decision to start an uprising was passed, seri-
ous preparations were undertaken to carry out the uprising
within Macedonias historic and geographic borders. Te
uprising started on August 2, 1903, on St. Elias day, and it
was therefore called Ilinden Uprising.
Te uprising encompassed all parts of Macedonia, but
it was the best organized in the western parts, in the Bitola
International Public and the Ilinden Uprising
Macedonian Statehood
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vilayet (province). Te revolutionary forces there, numerous
and well organized, showed most enthusiasm in protecting
the Macedonian uprising. As a result in the liberated Mace-
donian mountain town of Krushevo, not far from the railroad
Skopje-Prilep-Bitola, the leaders of the uprising established
a free Macedonian Republic, the Krushevo Republic. It
existed for ten days. Tere were similar actions for creating
free territories in Ohrid, Kostur, Lerin and other regions in
ethnic Macedonia. For three months, Macedonia was in a
revolutionary wave of resistance and ght for freedom.
Te Ottoman Empire mobilized large military forces and
sent huge expeditions to the bastions of the uprising. As a
result, the Macedonian Ilinden uprising was crushed in a
wave of blood and destruction.
Te struggle of the Macedonians in the Ilinden Uprising
to attain their freedom, the unrivaled heroism and the inde-
scribable massacres of unprotected civilians by the Sultans
armies resulted in a wave of sympathy and solidarity among
the international public. Te epic ght of the Macedonians
received wide publicity in the press, which increased the inter-
est of the international public for the Macedonian uprising.
A worldwide movement called pro-Macedonian or l-
Macedonian movement supporting the Macedonian cause
Krusevo at the turn of the 20th century.
Photo: Archives of the Museum of Macedonia
Te world press informs
about the Ilinden
Uprising in Macedonia
protecting the distressful
population
MISS CLARA BARTON,
FOUNDER OF THE AMERICAN RED CROSS,
PERSONALY DISTRIBUTED AID TO MACEDONIANS
Te American Red Cross played a signicant role in disseminat-
ing aid after the Ilinden uprising.
Macedonian committees throughout America organized events
to collect humanitarian aid for the Macedonians. As a result,
signicant aid in the form of money, clothes and medicines were
gathered, sent to Macedonia and distributed among the people
by representatives of the committees, Protestant missionaries and
representatives of the Red Cross.
In December 1903, Miss Clara Barton visited Macedonia and
personally participated in distributing humanitarian aid to the
people in the Bitola and Kostur region.
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sprung up, organizing all kinds of pro-Macedonian events in
a number of countries in Europe and America.
Te press played a large role in spreading the truth about
Macedonia. Almost the entire world press commented the
event to some extent. Te larger newspapers and agencies sent
special correspondents and reporters to Macedonia to report
on the real situation in Macedonia. Most of the reports were
supportive of the Macedonians, full of sympathy and solidarity
for the Macedonian uprising, whereas most of the newspapers
described the Ilinden Uprising as an all out uprising and an
event of extreme signicance for Macedonian liberation.
Tus the world press became regulator and contributed to
expanding the interest for the Ilinden Uprising.
Te world public got acquainted with the battle of the
Macedonians and within its abilities, started an action for
indirect engagement in the Macedonian issue. In order to
better organize this pro-Macedonian movement, special
Macedonian committees started to appear aiming to promote
the Macedonian struggle for freedom and to collect aid for
the Macedonian population.
On the American continent, in the United States of America,
Macedonian committees were formed in New York, Boston
and Philadelphia between September and November 1903.
Members of these committees were eminent individuals
from American society and culture who sent an appeal to
the American people, in which they described the struggle
of the Macedonians for freedom and their suerings after
the uprising. Te activities of these committees contributed
to an increase of American sympathy for the Macedonian
struggle for freedom, as well as an increase of American aid
for the Macedonian people.
Signicant pro-Macedonian activities also took place in
Great Britain. Te general public there was upset by the events
in Macedonia and called for the organizing of pro-Macedonian
We have a duty to love our
language, because it is ours,
just like our fatherland is
ours
Excerpt from: On the
Macedonian Matters,
September 1903
Krste Petkov MISIRKOV
(1874-1926)
Founder of contemporary
Macedonian literate
language.
Goce DELCEV (1872-1903),
A key leader and ideologist
of the Macedonian National
Liberation Movement.
Even after he was killed
his words would remain a
guiding force in Macedonias
struggle for freedom.
Te church St. Bogorodica (Mother of God) in Krusevo. Te bells of the church signaled the start of the Ilinden uprising.
Te photo captures part of the destruction inicted on the town by the vengeful Ottoman armies.
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events for helping the Macedonians. Te British Parliament
also showed interest in what was happening in Macedonia,
dedicating several sessions of the Upper and Lower House of
Parliament to Macedonia and the Macedonian uprising.
Te Balkan Committee, formed in 1903 in London,
coordinated activities to aid Macedonia. Its members were
eminent members of British society and culture who worked
on raising the interest of the people of Great Britain in the
Macedonian issue. In 1903, 1904 and 1905, over 200 rallies
were held in Great Britain in support of the Macedonian people
and their struggle for freedom. On all those gatherings, the
participants passed resolutions expressing their sympathy and
solidarity with the ght of the Macedonians, and demanded
the resolving of the Macedonian crisis with an intervention
by the world powers and introduction of reforms that will
result in a solution to the Macedonian issue. Te resolutions
demanded autonomy for Macedonia and appointing of a
European governor under protection of the world powers.
Pro-Macedonian activities were also organized in France.
Te French public was very vividly interested in the events in
Macedonia during the Ilinden Uprising, as was the French
Parliament, which asked the Government to take a tougher
stance on solving the Macedonian issue. Te eminent tribune
Jean Jauresse was particularly ery in his defense of the
Macedonian and Armenian cause.
Te Macedonian committee, formed in Paris even before
the Ilinden Uprising, carried out pro-Macedonian activi-
ties. Tis committee developed a campaign for promotion
of Macedonia and a campaign to collect humanitarian aid
for Macedonia. Te committee also organized rallies for
Macedonia in Paris and the French provinces. Te Macedo-
nian international meeting, held in the Paris Teater Sara
Bernhard on October 25, 1903, attracted especially large
attention. Eminent persons from a number of European and
American countries took part in the meeting. During the
meeting, in the name of world conscience a resolution was
unanimously passed asking the world powers to put an end
to the slaughter in Macedonia and to establish real control
over the events in Macedonia.
Te pro-Macedonian movement spread to Italy as well,
where the committees for Macedonia and Armenia started
activities even before the Ilinden Uprising. Tese committees
organized a number of rallies and collected humanitarian aid
for Macedonia throughout the country.
Russia expressed its sympathy for Macedonia through
pro- Macedonian events organized by the Slav Humanitarian
Society. Te Great Russian authors Lav Tolstoy and Maxim
Gorky took an active part in the cause, by starting an initiative
for publishing an anthology on Macedonia.
Pro-Macedonian activities also took place in other European
countries such as Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Bulgaria,
Croatia, Yugoslavia and other countries. Pro-Macedonian
events were always followed by activities to collect aid for the
people in Macedonia who suered greatly in the uprising. Great
Britain organized a special Macedonian committee which
established a mission in Macedonia, which delivered aid to the
people. Tis mission is remembered as playing an important
role in improving the situation after the uprising.
Te International Red Cross and other humanitarian
organizations also participated in aid activities. Te pro-
Macedonian activities of the international public during
and after the Ilinden Uprising in 1903 played an important
role in raising awareness of Macedonia and the Macedonian
struggle for freedom.
Source: Selected works, volume V,
Hristo Andonov - Poljanski
Te struggle of the
Macedonians represents a
struggle for freedom of an
obviously developed and
conscious nation.
Edward BOYL,
a prominent Englishman
Macedonian revolutionaries resting between battles. Drawing
(and photograph) published in the Daily Graphic, London, 1903.
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Te history of the Macedonian state is a continual of
historic processes, aspirations, battles and uprisings. Te
struggle to establish an independent Macedonian state
reached its apogee in 1903 with the Krusevo Republic and the
Ilinden Uprising of August 2, 1903. While the foundations
of the modern Macedonian state were established at the First
Assembly of ASNOM
1
on August 2, 1944.
2
Te modern Macedonian state, which was established
through the decisions of ASNOM in 1944, represents the
realization of the ideals of the Ilinden uprising, the Krushevo
Republic and a conrmation of the century long struggle,
sacrices and suering of the Macedonian people in its historic
aspirations to create their own state. Exactly because of this
the First Assembly of ASNOM was named from the start
the Second Ilinden of the Macedonian people.
From the start of the anti-fascist struggle in Macedonia
during the Second World War the people of Macedonia
would start to establish a separate system of courts and
various bodies that would begin to govern Macedonia. Te
military victories of 1943 would speed up the development
Realization of Century Long Ideals
of the Macedonian People
1
Anti-fascist Assembly for the National Liberation of Macedonia.
2
As a continual of the Ilinden Uprising August 2, 1903.
1944 - ASNOM
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DE C L A R A T I ON
Of the Anti-fascist Assembly for the National Liberation of
Macedonia on the fundamental rights of the citizen of democratic
Macedonia.
1. Regardless of their nationality, gender, race and religion all the
citizens of the federal Macedonian state are equal before the laws;
2. Te national minorities of Macedonia are guaranteed all
rights to freely express and practice their nationality;
3. Each citizen is guaranteed the security of their person and
assets, ownership rights and honest initiatives on the market;
4. Each citizen is guaranteed the right to religious freedom and
right to freely express ones conscience;
5. All citizens are guaranteed the freedom of speech, press, to
assemble, agreement and freedom to associate;
6. Te electorate exercises their electoral rights in democratic
Macedonia through closed voting on the basis of general, equal,
direct and individual electoral rights;
7. Every male and female citizen who has at least 18 years of age
has the right to vote and to be elected to any bodies of government;
.
10. In a manner envisaged by law, every citizen is guaranteed
the right to an avenue for submitting appeals against decisions issued
by the organs of government.
Every citizen has the right to submit an appeal and complaint
to any organ of government;
11. Te authorities will make an eort to eliminate illiteracy, to
raise the peoples culture and to secure free education for all.
In the Monestary St. Prohor Pcinski on Ilinden, August 2, 1944.
For the Anti-fascist Assembly for the National Liberation of
Macedonia.
Secretary President
Ljupco D. Arsov Metodia Andonov Cento
Expressing their overwhelming joy Macedonians
celebrating the Proclamation of the Macedonian state
in the midst of the Second World War. Monastery of St.
Prohor Pcinski, August 2, 1944.
of the organs of government, as a result the entire territory of
Macedonia will be governed by Liberation councils. Higher
organs of government would start to be established on the
permanently liberated territories called regional Liberation
councils. All of this would press the need to start preparations
to hold a Constitutional assembly that would express the
sovereign will and the right to self-determination of the
people of Macedonia through the formal proclamation of
the Macedonian state.
3

Te First Assembly of ASNOM held on August 2, 1944
in the monastery St. Prohor Pcinski, was a constitutional
assembly of the Macedonian state. Te organization of
(Photo: Museum of Macedonia)
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the highest organs of government in Macedonia as well
as the organization of the state and the political system
were established. The Declaration of the fundamental
rights encompasses a wide specter of democratic rights
of the citizens, which are guaranteed by the constitutions
of all democratic states. Tis document also encompasses
minority rights guaranteeing their full equality as citizens
and additional minority rights. Te fundamental principles
on the rights of the nationalities presented in the Declaration
are also determined in the Manifest of the First Assembly
of ASNOM.
Today the Republic of Macedonia, with the proclamation
of its independence on September 8th 1991, is a sovereign
and independent state. We can not but look back with grate
respect at First Assembly on August 2, 1944 (the date of the
rst Ilinden uprising) and to link the centuries of struggle
to establish an independent Macedonian state.
Te meeting room of the First Session of ASNOM
Seal and Manifest issued by the delegates of
the First Session of ASNOM. Te Manifest
proclaims the sovereign Macedonian state in
which all nationalities are free and treated as
equals. Te issuing of the Manifest upholds the
tradition of the Ilinden Uprising 1903 when a
Manifest was also issued outlining the basis for
brotherly coexistence among nationalities in the
future Macedonian state.
3
In compliance with decisions at later meetings of the Assembly
Macedonia would become an equal partner in the Democratic
Federative Republic of Yugoslavia.
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Delegates at the First Assembly of ASNOM during a break.
Front row fth from left Metodija Andonov Cento the President of ASNOM. Front row second from right Kiro Gligorov a delegate,
who would become the rst president of the Republic of Macedonia after proclaiming independence in 1991.
Battalion Mirce Acev formed August 18, 1943, part of the Macedonian Army,
which by 1944 would be 66.000 soldiers strong, divided in 7 divisions and 3 corps. Mirce Acev, national hero, was one
of the leaders of the anti-fascist movement in Macedonia and member of the general Sta of the NOV and POM,
killed in jail by the Bulgarian occuppators after being mercilessly tortured.
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Te Constitution
Te Republic of Macedo-
nia, in a relatively short time frame, has had a very dynamic
constitutional development, which can be divided in two
main periods. Te rst period encompasses the years 1944-
1991. Te modern Macedonian statehood was established
in the struggle of the Macedonian people against the fascist
occupation during WWII on the rst session of the An-
tifascist Assembly for National Liberation of Macedonia
(ASNOM), held on 2-3 August 1944. Te Declaration
of ASNOM and the other acts of ASNOM declared the
centuries - long determination of the Macedonian people
to found their statehood, and stated their political will to
constitute the Macedonian state as a (socialist) republic and
a founding member of the Yugoslav federation on basis of
equality of all member states and equality of all Yugoslav
peoples, including all national minorities. While being a
member state of the Yugoslav Federation, and following
the adoption of the federal constitutions in 1946, 1963
and 1974, Macedonia had also adopted three constitutions
in 1946, 1963 and 1974. Te constitutional development
The State Order
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Skopje, a modern city and capital of
the Republic of Macedonia.
of this period was marked with two tendencies: rst, the
socialist nature of the state was deepened by moving from
state socialism to self-management socialism; second, the
powers of the federation were gradually decreased for the
benet of the powers of the federal republics. Te second
period of the modern Macedonian constitutionalism began
with the Declaration of sovereignty and independence, which
was adopted by the Macedonian Parliament on 25 January
1991 as a reaction to the on-going process of dissolution
of SFR Yugoslavia. In the situation of extreme economic,
FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT
Te Framework Agreement is a historic tool leading to an up-
grading of European standards in Macedonian society, standards
established with the Stabilization and Association Agreement of
the Republic of Macedonia with the European Union. Created
and signed as the most acceptable avenue for exiting the political
crisis in western Macedonia in 2001, the Framework Agreement
is a democratic step forward in improving the social, political and
economic status of minorities in general.
In its current phase of implementation and harmonization in
the political system of the Republic of Macedonia, the Framework
Agreement has proven that it is a permanent tool that can be used in
nding solutions to future challenges. As such, the Framework agree-
ment has grown into an important instrument of prevention.
Te project for a multi-cultural society, as the future goal of
the people of the Republic of Macedonia, is not exhausted with the
Framework Agreement. Furthermore, the agreement itself has not
been exhausted. To complete this ambitious project, the Republic
of Macedonia has undertaken steps towards decentralizing the state
with the adoption of laws for nancing local self-government and
territorial re-organization.
With this goal behind it, Macedonian society will truly become
avant-garde and will again begin to create values to which others
aspire.
Te Ohrid agreement has started to outgrow the borders of
Macedonia, rst of all as an appropriate example for civil progress
in an average society in transition. Having in mind that ethnic and
religious minorities are characteristics present in almost all South-
east European countries, the Framework Agreement will contribute
to the resolution of existing and future minority problems. In this
way the Republic of Macedonia, with its Framework Agreement,
is already contributing to the approximation of the region towards
Europe. Te Republic of Macedonia is also well aware that this is
its obligation now that it is aspiring to full EU membership.
Terefore, the Framework Agreement has an avant-garde dimen-
sion, even for Europe. It is already compatible with the idea of a
community of free people and citizens of a united Europe.
Tis contemporary and avant-garde European equal distribution
of obligations for respecting human rights for all and by all in the
region, with the assistance of the political system established by the
Framework Agreement, will contribute towards equality among
states, people and individuals in South-eastern Europe.
Te Framework Agreement will not remain a palliative re-
sponse to a certain challenge. Rather it becomes a (South-eastern)
European standard.
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political, and constitutional crisis in the former Yugoslav
federation, and wars among some of the other member
states of the federation, Macedonian citizens expressed their
political will for independent statehood in a democratic
and peaceful manner, and with overwhelming majority
(72.16%), on a national referendum, held on 8 September
1991. Today, this date is celebrated as a national holiday
Independence Day. After declaring independence, the
Macedonian Parliament adopted the rst constitution of
the independent and democratic Republic of Macedonia
on 17 November 1991.
- Te overall constitutional order is
based on the following fundamental values: basic freedoms
and rights of the individual and citizen as recognized in
international law and set down in the Constitution; free
expression of national identity; rule of law; division of state
powers into legislative, executive and judicial; political plural-
ism and free, direct and democratic elections; legal protection
of property; freedom of market and enter-preneurship; hu-
manism, social justice and solidarity; local self-government;
proper urban and rural planning to promote a congenial
human environment, as well as ecological protection and
development; and, respect for the generally accepted norms
of international law. In addition, the Constitution declares
that anything that is not prohibited by the Constitution or
by law is permitted in the Republic of Macedonia. Te core
of the constitutional provisions is dedicated to a wide list
of basic freedoms and rights of the individual and citizen
that are grouped in two basic groups. Te rst group is
composed of civil and political freedoms and rights. Te
second group is composed of economic, social and cultural
rights. Foreign subjects enjoy freedoms and rights guaranteed
by the Constitution and under conditions regulated by law
and international agreements. According to the Constitu-
tion, rights and freedoms of the individual and citizen may
be limited only in cases determined by the Constitution.
Rights and freedoms of the individual and citizen may be
limited in situations of state of war and state of emergency,
declared in accordance with the Constitution. Limitation
of the rights and freedoms may not be discriminatory on
the basis gender, race, skin color of , religious fate, national
or social origin, property or social status. Te right to life,
prohibition of any form of torture, inhuman or humiliating
conduct or punishment, freedom of personal conviction,
conscience, thought, public expression of thought, and
freedom of religion may not be limited in any situation.
Te constitution provides legal guarantees and redress for
the violation of the rights and freedoms of the individual
and citizen, that eectively includes legal redress before the
Constitutional Court, the regular courts and the European
Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. Republic of Mace-
donia has ratied all the major international and regional
(the Council of Europes) conventions concerning human
and minority rights.
Te founding principles and characteristics that dene the
Macedonian statehood are also set in the Constitution. Te
Republic of Macedonia is dened as a sovereign, indepen-
dent, democratic, and social state. Te territory of the state
is indivisible and inviolable. Te sovereignty of the Republic
is indivisible, inalienable, and nontransferable. Te state is
a unitary republic, in which the sovereignty is derived from
the citizens and belongs to the citizens and the right to local
self-government is guaranteed. Te citizens exercise their
authority through democratically elected Deputies, through
referendum, and through other forms of direct expression.
Citizens of the Republic have citizenship of the Republic of
Macedonia, of which they may not be deprived. Furthermore,
the citizens may not be expelled or extradited to another state.
Te political system that is enshrined in the Constitution is
a parliamentary democracy founded on the principle of the
division of state powers on legislative, executive, and judiciary.
Te rst Constitution of modern Macedonia, December 31, 1946.
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Te principle of supremacy of the law is in the foundation
of the Macedonian State. Te Republic of Macedonia is a
secular state where all religious communities and groups are
separate from the state and equal before the law.
Under intense
political pressure from Greece, directly, and through EU and
other international institutions and intermediary countries,
the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia adopted two
amendments to its constitution, which were promulgated and
entered into force on 6 January 1992. Te rst amendment
changed Article 3 of the Constitution in order to explicitly
articulate that the Republic of Macedonia has no territorial
claims toward any neighboring state and that the borders of
the Republic can be changed not only in accordance with
the Constitution, as previously stated, but also in accordance
with the generally accepted international rules. Te second
amendment changed Article 49 of the Constitution in order
to clarify that when Macedonia safeguards the cultural,
economic and social rights of the Republic abroad, it will
not interfere in the sovereign rights of other states or in their
internal aairs. Te constitution of 1991, including these
amendments, were put under legal scrutiny by the Arbitration
Commission (also known as Bad enter Commission) that
was set up in the framework of the Peace Conference on the
Yugoslav crisis of 1991, sponsored by the E. Communities.
Te task of the Commission, which consisted of ve presi-
dents of constitutional courts of EU Member States, was to
evaluate whether the Republic of Macedonia satises the
tests in the Guidelines on the Recognition of New States in
Eastern Europe and in the Soviet Union and the Declaration
on Yugoslavia adopted by the Council of the E. Communities
on December 16, 1991. After analyzing the Constitution, the
Arbitration Commission issued its Opinion No. 6 in which
the Commission concluded that Macedonia did satisfy the
set conditions for recognition, including high standards in
the sphere of human and minority rights and that Republic
of Macedonia has renounced all territorial claims of any kind
in unambiguous statements binding in international law and
that Macedonia pursuant to the Article 49 of its constitution
has undertaken an international legal obligation to refrain
from any hostile propaganda against any other state. However,
despite this advisory opinion of the Arbitration Commission,
the recognition of Macedonia by the Member States of the
EU did not follow immediately, an issue that is dealt with
elsewhere in this brochure.
Te Constitution
of 1991 was once again amended almost exactly on its tenth
anniversary. On November 16, 2001, the Parliament of the
Republic of Macedonia adopted 15 amendments to the
Constitution that at the time of the adoption and today still
remain to be most controversial issue with respect both to the
way they came to life and to their content. Tese amendments
were agreed upon by the four biggest political parties of the
Macedonian block (VMRO-DPMNE and SDSM) and of
the Albanian block (PDP and DPA) in the Macedonian
Parliament, as part of a more comprehensive Framework
Agreement signed in Skopje on 13 August 2001 under the
auspices of the President of the Republic and with the a
faciliatory role of the representatives of the international com-
munity i.e. representatives of the EU and USA. Te aim of this
Framework Agreement was to terminate the violent conict
between the legitimate state military and police forces and
the paramilitary Albanian organization called NLA (National
Liberation Army), and to prevent a full-scale civil war. Te
agenda of NLA was and still remains controversial among the
citizens and the political elite: was NLA an organization with
separatist ambitions masked with the human rights rhetoric,
or was it an organization that legitimately demanded widen-
ing the rights of the Albanians in Macedonia, even through
illegitimate use of force against the Macedonian state and
citizens? In any case, these constitutional amendments were
not agreed upon by following the procedure for constitutional
amendments as set in the Constitution of 1991 but in an
informal, non-institutional and extra-legal manner. In their
content, the constitutional amendments aimed at satisfying the
political aspirations of the Albanian ethnicity in Macedonia
and eectively strengthen their constitutional position and
collective rights. Te majority of the Macedonian scholarly
authorities in constitutional law and theory are of the opin-
ion that these constitutional changes are compromising the
previous liberal democratic character of the Constitution
and promote ethnicitizaton of the Constitution. Here
is a brief overview of these constitutional amendments. In
the Preamble of the Constitution, the terms Macedonian
people, national state of the Macedonian people in which
full equality as citizens and permanent co-existence with
the Macedonian people is provided for Albanians, Turks,
Vlachs, Roma and other nationalities living in the Republic
of Macedonia, and the constitutional and legal continuity
of the Macedonian state as a sovereign republic within the
Federal Yugoslavia were abandoned and replaced with the
terms citizens of the Republic of Macedonia, Macedonian
nation and, citizens who live within its borders and are
part of the Albanian nation, Turkish nation, Vlach nation,
Serbian nation, Roma nation, Bosniak nation and others.
Troughout the normative text, the amendments intervened,
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where relevant, with introduction of the term communities
and communities that are not majority in the Republic of
Macedonia to refer to all ethnic communities/groups to
which the Macedonian citizens belong . With respect to
the o cial language(s) in the country, the constitutional
amendments abandoned the previous solution according to
which the Macedonian language, and its Cyrillic alphabet, is
the o cial language in the Republic, and in the units of the
local self-government where the majority of the inhabitants
belong to one nationality, in addition to the Macedonian
language and Cyrillic alphabet, their language and alphabet
are also in o cial use. Instead, with the amendments, the
languages that are spoken by 20% of the population are also
o cial, together with their alphabet, not only on the level of
local self-government, but also with respect to the personal
documents, in communication with the local o ces of the
ministries and other organs of the central government. Te
Macedonian language and its alphabet remain to be of-
cial language on the whole territory of the Republic and
the only o cial language in international relations. A new
fundamental value of the constitutional order is added:
adequate and just representation of the citizens belonging
to all of the communities in the organs of the state and
other public institutions on all levels of governments. Te
distinct naming of the Macedonian Orthodox Church in
the Constitution was abandoned by additional naming of
some of the other major religious communities and groups,
in particular the Islamic Religious Community, the Catholic
Church, the Evangelist-Methodist Church and the Jewish
Community. Te previous list of the rights of the communi-
ties (previously, nationalities) with respect to expression and
preservation of their identity is widened with the right to use
the symbols of their community and the right to establish
separate educational institutions in addition to cultural,
language, artistic, and scientic institutions and associations.
Te laws that are directly aecting the culture, the use of
languages, education, personal documents, use of symbols,
and local self-government are subject to special majority
voting of all present members of the Parliament, including
the majority of all present members of the Parliament that
belong to communities that are not majority in the Republic
of Macedonia. Also, the Public Attorney (Ombudsman) is
elected by the Parliament with majority voting not only
of the total number of all members of the Parliament, but
also with majority voting of the total number of members
of the Parliament belonging to communities that are not
majority in the Republic of Macedonia. (Te same majority
is also required when electing three out of seven members of
the Judicial Council of the Republic and three out of nine
judges in the Constitutional Court). Te Public Attorney
has also gained new competence to pay special attention
to the principle of non-discrimination, proportionate and
just representation of the members of the communities in
organs of the central government, local self-government and
other public institutions. When naming three members of
the Security Council of the Republic, the President of the
Republic is obliged to make sure that the composition of
the Council reects the composition of the Macedonian
population. Te position of the local self-government is also
strengthened, and its jurisdiction widened.
- Te article 17 of
the Constitution which protects the freedom and secrecy of
all forms of communication of individuals was amended to
enable the use of special investigative techniques in order to
strengthen the state ght against organized crime, corruption
and terrorism.
- In December
2005, the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia adopted
eleven new amendments primarily aimed to provide more
independence for the judiciary of the country (for more
details, see under Judiciary).
Te Constitution of 1991
contains provisions that stipulate that the Constitution may
be changed, amended, or have new provisions added by way
of constitutional amendments. A proposal to initiate a change
in the Constitution may be made by the President of the
Republic, the Government, at least 30 Representatives in
the Parliament, or 150,000 citizens. Te decision to initiate
a change in the Constitution is made by two-third major-
ity vote of the total number of Deputies in the Parliament.
Te draft amendment(s) to the Constitution is conrmed
with a majority vote of the total number of Deputies and
then submitted to a public debate. Te decision to change
the Constitution is made by the Parliament by a two-third
majority vote of the total number of Deputies. Te con-
stitutional amendments of 2001 introduced a change in
the required majority with respect to the adoption of any
future constitutional amendments to the Preamble of the
Constitution, provisions on the local self-government and to
all other provisions that aects the rights of the members of
the communities. For adopting constitutional amendments
to these constitutional provisions, a two third majority vote
of the total number of Deputies, including majority of the
total number of the Deputies belonging to the communities
that are not majority in the Republic, is required.
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Te fundamental constitutional value of the division of
state powers into legislative, executive, and judicial is em-
bodied through the constitutional provisions regarding the
organization of state power and through the constitutional
provisions regarding competencies of certain fundamental
organs of the state.
- Te Parliament of the Republic
of Macedonia (Sobranie) represents the citizens of the
Republic and exercises the legislative power. Te Parliament
may be composed of 120-140 deputies, although, ever since
1991 it is composed of only 120 deputies. Te deputies
must be elected in general, direct and free elections by secret
ballot every four years. Te mandate of the deputies may
be prolonged only in a state of war or state of emergency.
Deputies may not perform any other public function or
profession that is incompatible with the function of a
deputy. In representing the citizens, each deputy votes in
accordance to his/her conviction and may not be recalled
during his/her mandate. Te Deputies enjoy immunity from
criminal prosecution or detention for expressed opinions or
voting in the Parliament. Te deputies may not be detained
without approval of the Parliament, except in situations
when caught committing a crime for which the punishment
provided by law is at least ve years of imprisonment. Te
Parliament is represented by its President, which is elected
by the deputies. Te Parliament has many competencies,
of which most importantly: adoption and changing of the
Constitution; adoption and interpretation of the laws;
establishing taxes and other public expenditures; adoption
of the budget of the Republic and its nal account; rati-
cation of international agreements; decisions on war and
peace; changes in the borders of the Republic; entering in
or abandoning alliances and unions with other states, and
scheduling a referendum; electing the Government of the
Republic, judges in the Constitutional Court, and holders
of other public functions and o ces; exercising a political
control over the Government and other holders of public
functions and o ces that answer to the Parliament; giving
amnesty, and other competencies as determined by the
Constitution. In performing its competencies, the As-
sembly may form permanent or temporary working bodies
(committees). Te Constitutional amendments of 2001
introduced a new body that is a liated to the Parliament
Committee on Inter-Community Relations. Te Com-
mittee is composed of 19 Representatives in the Parliament,
of which 7 Macedonians, 7 Albanians, 1 Turk, 1 Vlach, 1
Roma, 1 Serb, and 1 Bosniak. If any of these communities
does not have representation in the Parliament, the Public
Attorney, in consultation with the relevant representatives of
the non-represented communities will propose the remain-
ing members of the Committee. Te Parliament elects the
Committee members. Te main objective of the Committee
is to look at issues of the inter-community relations and give
Fundamental Organs of the State
Te church of St. Ilija. Lake Prespa.
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proposals and opinions for their resolution. Te Parliament
is obliged to deliberate and make a decision on the proposals
and the opinions of the Committee. Te Parliament may
only be self-dissolved before nishing its mandate. Te
sessions of the Parliament are public and they are regularly
transmitted on the national television and radio.
Te executive branch of the state
power is divided between the President of the Republic and
the Government.
Te President of the Republic performs the functions of
Head of State. He/she represents the Republic and he/she
is supreme commander of the Macedonian military forces.
Also, the President presides over the Security Council of the
Republic, which also includes the President of the Govern-
ment, the President of the Parliament, and the ministers of
internal aairs, defense, foreign aairs, and justice, and three
other members appointed by the President. In accordance
with the constitutional amendments of 2001, in appoint-
ing three members of the Security Council, the President,
overall, must ensure his nominations reect the composition
of the population of country. Te main objective of the
Security Council is to deliberate on issues of great concern
for the national security and defense and give proposals to
the Government and Parliament thereafter. In accordance
with the constitutional amendments of 2001, the President
is elected on general and direct elections, by secret ballot for
a period of ve years. 10,000 citizens or 30 Deputies in the
Parliament can nominate candidates for President. Nobody
can hold the o ce of President more than twice. Te President
must hold Macedonian citizenship, he/she may not be less
than 40 years of age on the day of the elections, and he/she
must have been living in the Republic of Macedonia more
than 10 years in the last 15 years up to the day of the elec-
tions. In case of death, resignation, permanent prevention
to perform the duties of the o ce, or termination of the
mandate of the President by the force of the Constitution,
which is always determined by the Constitutional Court,
the function of the President is performed by the President
of the Parliament until new President is elected. In addition,
the function of the President is performed by the President
of the Parliament when the President is prevented to perform
his/her duties (temporary absence or prevention), in which
situations the President of the Parliament has no right to vote
in the Parliament. Te o ce of the President is incompatible
with other public functions, professions or functions in a
political party. Te President enjoys immunity during his/her
mandate, which can be lifted only with a two-third-major-
ity decision of the Constitutional Court. Te President has
the following competencies: giving mandate for formation
of the Government; appointing and recalling ambassadors
or representatives of the Republic abroad; accepting the
letters of accreditation and recall of foreign diplomatic
representatives; proposing two candidates for judges in the
Constitutional Court; proposing two members of the Judicial
Council of the Republic; appointing three members of the
Security Council of the Republic; appointing and recalling
other holders of state and public functions as determined
by the Constitution or law; awarding medals and honors
in accordance to law; giving pardon in accordance to law;
and performing other functions in accordance with the
Constitution. Te President addresses the Parliament with
respect to the issues of his competence at least once a year.
Te President is held accountable for violations of the Con-
stitution and the laws in performing his competencies. Te
issue of the Presidents accountability may be initiated by the
Parliament, with two-third majority of the total number of
Deputies, and is decided by the Constitutional Court, with
a two-third majority of the total number of judges. If the
President is found accountable, his/her mandate as President
is terminated by the force of the Constitution.
Te Government is the main organ of the executive branch
of state power. Te candidate of a political party or political
parties that have the absolute majority in the Parliament forms
the Government. Te Government and each of its members
are accountable to the Parliament, which may take a vote of
no-condence. Moreover, the Government itself has a right
to raise the question of condence or to submit its resigna-
tion. Te mandate of the Government also ceases when the
Parliament is dissolved. Ministers in the Government may
resign or the President of the Government may propose to
Macedonian President Branko Crvenkovski and Foreign Minister
Antonio Milososki meet UN Special Envoy Matthew Nimetz.
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A joint press conference of Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski
and NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheer, Brussels, February 2007.
the Parliament a dismissal of a Minister. Te President of
the Government and the ministers in the Government may
not be Deputies in the Parliament or perform other public
functions or professions. Te major competencies of the
Government are: determination of accountability for the
policies of carrying out the laws and other regulations of
the Parliament; proposals of laws, budget of the Republic
and other regulations that are adopted by the Parliament;
adoption of regulations and other acts for the execution of
laws; laying down of principles on the internal organization
and work of the Ministries and other administrative bod-
ies, and directing and supervising their work; deciding on
recognition of other states and governments; establishing
diplomatic and consular relations with other states; making
decisions on opening diplomatic and consular o ces abroad;
proposing appointment of ambassadors and representatives
of the Republic abroad and appointing chiefs of consular
o ces; proposing candidates for Public Prosecutor and other
holders of public and other o ces in accordance with the
Constitution and laws, and other duties determined by the
Constitution and laws. Te state administration consists of
ministries and other administrative bodies and organizations
as determined by law. Political organization and activities in
the state administration are prohibited. Civilians must head
the ministries of defense and police, as well as other organs
of state administration in these spheres. Te state adminis-
tration must perform its competencies in accordance with
the Constitution and the laws, for which it is accountable
to the Government.
According to the Constitution, the judi-
ciary power is exercised by the courts, which are autonomous
and independent. Te court system has a single organiza-
tions. Emergency courts are prohibited. Tere are 27 Courts
of First Instance, and four Courts of Appeal. Te highest
court is the Supreme Court of Macedonia. With the new
Law on courts of 2006, a separate Administrative Court was
introduced with jurisdiction for the territory of the whole
country. Courts must perform their adjudication function
on the basis of the Constitution, the laws and international
agreements ratied in accordance with the Constitution.
A judge serves without restriction of his/her term of o ce
and he/she may be removed from o ce only in cases laid
down in the Constitution. Judges enjoy immunity. Te
performance of the o ce of a judge is incompatible with
other public o ce, profession or membership in a political
party. Political organization and activity in the judiciary
is prohibited. Te court hearings and passing of verdicts
are public, although the public may be excluded in cases
determined by law. Te courts try cases in chambers and
only in cases determined by law. A single judge can try a
case. Juries take part in trials in cases as determined by law.
Special and independent role in the judiciary is given to
the Judicial Council of the Republic of Macedonia, and the
O ce of the Public Prosecutor.
With the constitutional amendments of 2005, the par-
liament no longer elects and removes the judges from
o ce. Tat is the competence solely put on the Judicial
Council of the Republic of Macedonia, performed as it is
laid down by the Constitution. Te Council also decides
on the immunity and disciplinary accountability of judges,
the competence and ethics of judges in the performance of
their o ce, and proposes two judges in the Constitutional
Court of Macedonia. Te Judicial Council is composed of
fteen members with a term of six years with the right of
only one reelection. Te President of the Supreme Court and
the Minister of justice are ex o cio members of the Coun-
cil. Eight of its members are elected directly by the judges,
including three that have to be from the ethnic minority
communities of the country. Five members are elected by
the Assembly of the Republic, of which two are proposals
of the President of the Republic, including one that has to
be from the ethnic minority communities. Te Assembly
elects the members of the Judicial Council with an absolute
majority, including absolute majority of MPs that belong
to the ethnic minorities. Members of the Judicial Council
may not hold other public o ces or professions and may
not be members of a political party.
With the constitutional amendments of 2005 (amendment
30), there has been constitutional reforms aimed at more
independent and more e cient o ce of public prosecution,
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Unitary Structure of the State
and the Local Self-Government
Te Constitution of 1991 guarantees the right of citizens
to local self-government. Te nature and the way this right
is exercised is in close relation with the unitary character of
the Macedonian state, whose sovereignty is indivisible and
exercised by the central government. Te national Parliament
adopts all laws regarding local self-government. Te legal
acts that are adopted by the organs of the units of local self-
government (statutes, programs, plans, regulations, decisions,
and other acts) must be in accordance with the Constitution
and the laws. Te ministries of the central government and
other organs of the state administration exercise control over
the units of local self-government with respect to the legality
of the their legal acts, the legality of their activities and the
legality of their material and nancial dealings.
- In the units of local self-
government, the citizens have a right to participate in the
decision-making process on issues of local relevance, particu-
larly in the areas of urban and rural planning, protection of
the environment, communal activities, culture, sport, social
security and child protection, and in other areas as determined
charged with the function of persecution of persons who
have committed criminal and other oenses as determined
by law. Tis o ce is composed of the Public Prosecutor of
the Republic of Macedonia and other public prosecutors.
Te duties of the O ce must be performed in accordance
with the Constitution and the laws of the Republic. Te
Assembly appoints the Public Prosecutor of the Republic of
Macedonia for a term of six years with the right of reelec-
tion of one more term, while the other public prosecutors
are appointed by the Council of Prosecutors with no term
limits. Te o ce of public prosecution is incompatible with
the performance of any other public o ce, profession or
membership in a political party.
Tis court
is not part of the regular court system of the Republic, but
a special organ of the Republic, which is established for the
protection of the legal principles of constitutionality and
legality. Te Constitutional Court competencies include:
decisions on the conformity of laws with the Constitution
and on the conformity of other regulations and collective
agreements with the Constitution and laws; protection of
the freedoms and rights of the individual and citizen relating
to the freedom of personal conviction, conscience, thought,
and public expression of thought, political association and
activity, and prohibition of discrimination of citizens on
the basis of sex, race, religion, national, social, or political
a liation; decisions on conicts of competencies between
holders of o ces in the legislative, executive and judicial
branch of state power; decisions on conicts of competency
between the organs of the central government and organs of
the units of self-government; decisions on the accountability
of the President; decisions on the constitutionality of the
programs and statutes of political parties and associations of
citizens; and, decisions on other issues as determined by the
Constitution. Te Court has the power to repeal or invalidate
a law if it determines that the law does not conform to the
Constitution, as well as power to repeal or invalidate other
regulations, collective agreements, statutes, or the program
of a political party or association, if it determines that
they do not conform to the Constitution or the laws. Te
decisions of the Court are nal and executive. Te Court
is composed of nine judges, who are elected by the Parlia-
ment for a nine year term, without a right to reelection, and
enjoy immunity during their term in o ce. In accordance
with the 15th constitutional amendment of 2001, three of
the judges are elected with an absolute majority of MPs,
including an absolute majority of the MPs who belong to
the communities that are not a majority in the country. Te
judges in the Court must come from the ranks of outstanding
members of the legal profession. Tey may not hold other
public o ce, profession, or membership in a political party
and may not be called for military service.
5. - Te o ce of the Public
Attorney protects the constitutional and legal rights of the
citizens from violations committed by the organs of state
administration and other organs and organizations which
have public authority, and it has some new competencies as
elaborated in the part about the constitutional amendments
of 2001. Te Public Attorney is elected by the Assembly for
a term of eight years, with a right of one reelection. (For
details on the way the Public Attorney is elected, see the part
on the constitutional amendments of 2001.)
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by law. As a form of decentralization, organs of the central
state administration may delegate the execution of some
of their competencies to the units of local self-government
(concretely, to the mayor), for which the organs of the state
administration retain subsidiary accountability. Furthermore,
the constitutional amendments of 2001 have widened the
issue areas where the units of local self-government have
competencies, most importantly, in the area of health care,
education, public services, and local nances. Te law on
local self-government of 2002 represented a further step
at providing for both better nancial position and higher
scal responsibility of the units of local self-government.
Better and more e cient nancing and nancial dealings
of the local self government is expected to be achieved by
the new law on nancing of local self-government units.
Its intention is to create a new nancing system aimed at
granting full independence to local self-government units,
high-quality execution of competencies, and establishment
of a modern public administration. Te law was enforced as
of January 1, 2005. Te units of local self-government are
nanced from their own sources of income, subsidies from
the central government, and other sources as determined
by law. In particular, the Republic of Macedonia secures
nancial resources for underdeveloped areas of the units
of self-government, in accordance with criteria that are
determined by law. Te constitutional amendments of 2001
have also widened the o cial use of minority languages, as
presented in the part dedicated to these amendments.
From an organizational aspect, Macedonia has
a one-level local self-government. Te municipalities (in
Macedonian: opstini) are the units of local self-government.
Te territorial division of the Republic and the territorial
areas of each municipality are dened by law. In order to
enable the municipalities to carry out new and wider com-
petences, as well as to reect better the ethnic realities and
the multiethnic balance of the country, in August 2004, the
Parliament adopted new law on territorial organization of the
local self-government, reducing the numbers of municipalities
from 123 to 84. After the successful collection of 150,000
the law was subjected to a referendum vote in November
2004, on which the law was upheld. Each municipality has
its own name, coat of arms, and ag, which must be distinct
from the ones of other states, the Republic of Macedonia, and
other municipalities. Te Constitution gives the possibility
of establishing forms of urban and local self-government (In
Macedonian: urbani zaednici and mesni zaednici), but only
within the municipalities. Given its status as the capital of
the Republic, the City of Skopje has a special status in the
organization of local self-government. Te new Law on
City of Skopje adopted in August 2004 enlarged the City,
which is now composed of 10 municipalities and denes
the relations between the City and municipalities in terms
of competences and nancial dealings and responsibilities.
Important novelty is the o cial use of both the Macedo-
nian and the Albanian language in the City. Te use of the
languages of ethnic minorities, other than the Albanian,
has to be decided by the City Council. For purposes of
protection and advancement of their mutual interests,
several municipalities may form associations of munici-
palities in accordance with the law and otherwise cooperate
among themselves. Te citizens exercise their right to local
self-government through direct participation or through
representation. Te forms of direct participation are: citizens
initiative, assembly of the citizens, referendum, petitions,
and proposals made through public debates and surveys.
Te representation of the citizens in local self-government
is realized through the two main organs of each municipal-
ity (and the City of Skopje): the mayor and the council of
the municipality. Te citizens elect both these organs on
universal, direct elections, by secret ballot, for a mandate of
four years. Mayors are elected in accordance with a majoritar-
ian electoral model, while the members of the councils are
elected in accordance with a proportional electoral model.
MUNICIPALITIES:
Aracinovo, Berovo, Bitola, Bogdanci, Bosilovo, Brvenica,
Valandovo, Vasilevo, Veles, Vevcani, Vinica, Vranestica,
Vrapciste, Gevgelija, Gostivar, Gradsko, Debar, Debarca,
Delcevo, Demir Kapija, Demir Hisar, Dojran, Dolneni,
Drugovo, Zelino, Zajas, Zelenikovo, Zrnovci, Ilinden,
Jegunovce, Bogovinje, Kavadarci, Karbinci, Kicevo,
Konce, Kocani, Kratovo, Kriva Palanka, Krivogastani,
Krusevo, Kumanovo, Lipkovo, Lozovo, Makedonska Ka-
menica, Makedonski Brod, Mavrovo, Mogila, Negotino,
Novaci, Novo Selo, Oslomej, Ohrid, Petrovec, Pehcevo,
Plasnica, Prilep, Probistip, Radovis, Rankovce, Resen,
Rosoman, Sveti Nikole, Sopiste, Staro Nagoricane, Struga,
Strumica, Studenicani, Tearce, Tetovo, Caska, Centar
Zupa, Cesinovo, Cucer Sandevo, Stip, Aerodrom*, Gazi
Baba*, Butel*, Gjorce Petrov*, Karpos*, Kisela Voda*,
Saraj*, Centar*, Cair*, Suto Orizari*.
Note:
*
- Skopje municipalities
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Te Political Parties and the Electoral System
With the adoption of the Constitution of 1991, the Republic of
Macedonia has embarked on its transition from an undemocratic
to a democratic political system. Tis democratic transformation
represents a process of trial and error, with relatively frequent
changes in the electoral system and a lot of dynamics in the
party system. Te Constitution has set up the general framework
for the development of both of these systems. One of the
fundamental values of the Macedonian constitutional order is
the political pluralism and free, direct and democratic elections.
Every citizen acquires the right to vote when reaching 18 years
of age. Te right to vote is equal, universal and direct, and is
exercised at free elections by secret ballot. Only citizens who are
deprived from their legal capacity are deprived from the right to
vote. Every citizen has the constitutional right to hold a public
o ce. Citizens may freely establish, join or cease membership
in a political party, except citizens who are performing certain
public o ces, such as judges in the regular courts, judges in
the Constitutional Court, public prosecutors, and members
of the Judicial Council of the Republic. Te monopoly of
the Communist Party of Macedonia was terminated and the
party pluralism was introduced in June 1990, with the court
registration of the political party named Movement for Pan-
Macedonian Action (MAAK).
- According to the amendments on
the Law on Political Parties of 2005, a political party may
be founded by at least 1000 citizens who hold Macedonian
citizenship and have permanent residence in the country. Te
newly founded political party has an obligation to register
in the Court Register of Political Parties at the First Instance
Court in Skopje. Te programs and the activities of the political
parties may not be directed at a violent destruction of the
constitutional order of the Republic, or at encouragement or
incitement to a military aggression or ethnic, racial or religious
hatred or intolerance. Whether that is the case, with respect to
the programs, it is decided by the Constitutional Court, and
with respect to the activities, it is decided by the competent
court of rst instance. In the rst case, the political party may
cease to exist outright, and in the latter case, its further activities
may be initially prohibited, although the political party may
appeal the decision to a higher court, which, if a rmed, may
lead to termination of the political party. So far, there has been
only one court refusal to register a political party. Financing
of political parties is regulated by law. As of January 1, 2005
there is a special law of party nancing being enforced. Te
main legal sources of party nancing are: membership fees,
donations, income from party property, loans, gifts, legacy, sale
of party promotional and propaganda materials, as well as the
budget of the Republic. Of the budget money, 30% are divided
among parties that have participated on the parliamentary or
local elections and had received at least 1% of the votes and
70% are proportionally divided among parties according
to the seats won in parliament on parliamentary elections
or according to the mayorships and seats in municipality
councils won on local elections. Political parties may not
acquire nancial resources from nongovernmental or religious
organizations, anonymous sources, as well as international
institutions, foreign governments, or other foreign physical
Table: Members of the Parliament of the Republic of Macedonia, 2006 - 2010
TOTAL WOMEN
VMRO-DPMNE 38 13
Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM) 23 8
Democratic Union for Integration (DUI) 13 4
Party for Democratic Prosperity of the Albanians (DPA) 11 3
New Social democratic Party (NSDP) 7 2
VMRO-Peoples Party (VMRO-NP) 5 2
Liberal-Democratic Party (LDP) 5 1
Liberal Party (LP) 2 1
Socialist Party of Macedonia 3 1
Party for Democratic Prosperity (PDP) 3 -
Democratic renewal of Macedonia (DOM) 1 1
Party for European Integration (PEI) 1 -
Democratic Alliance (DS) 1 -
Roma Alliance (SR) 1 -
United Party for Emancipation (OPE) 1 -
Democratic Party of the Turks of Macedonia (DPTM) 2 -
Democratic Party of Serbs (DPS) 1 -
Independent Deputies 2 -
TOTAL 120 36
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or juridical persons. Furthermore, political parties may not
acquire nancial resources from state organs, organs of the
local self-government, or companies that are in state property
or involve state share of property. Te nancial dealings of
the political parties are subjected to a nancial audit by the
competent state organs. Political parties may be organized
only territorially. Te party system is extremely fragmented.
As of 2007, there are 91 registered political parties. Most
of these political parties have never been represented in the
Parliament. Te political parties that are represented in the
2006-2010 composition of the Parliament are: VMRO-
DPMNE -38 , Social Democratic Union of Macedonia
(SDSM) -23, Democratic Union for Integration (DUI) -13,
Party for Democratic Prosperity of the Albanians (DPA) -11,
New Social democratic Party (NSDP) 7, VMRO-Peoples
Party (VMRO-NP) 5, Liberal-Democratic Party (LDP) -5,
Liberal Party (LP) -2, Socialist Party of Macedonia -3, Party
for Democratic Prosperity (PDP) -3, Democratic renewal of
Macedonia (DOM) 1, Party for European Integration(PEI)
1, Democratic Alliance (DS) 1, Roma Alliance (SR)- 1,
United Party for Emancipation (OPE)- 1, Democratic Party
of the Turks of Macedonia (DPTM) -2, Democratic Party of
Serbs (DPS)- 1 and two independent MPs.
Since 1990, the VMRO-DPMNE, the main center-right
political party, and SDSM, the main center-left political party,
have proven to be the kingmakers of the Macedonian govern-
ment. Apart from the ideological criterion, there are political
parties organized by either ethnic or religious criterion, which is
permitted. For most of the 1990ies, the PDP and DPA used to
be the two major political parties of the Albanian community
of Macedonia, and ever since 1992, one or both of them have
been represented in the Government in continuum. However,
the elections of 2002 have marked a sweeping victory of DUI,
a brand new political party of the Albanians in Macedonia,
winning remarkable 16 seats in the Assembly. Its success on the
elections is widely viewed as direct consequence of the image
of the party as a political successor of the paramilitary NLA
active in the 2001 conict in the country. In addition, the 2002
elections have marked, for a rst time, the entrance of other
political parties formed by the smaller ethnic communities in
Macedonia. As a result, there are MPs in the Assembly belonging
to virtually all ethnic communities living in Macedonia.
Since the introduction of free and
multi-party elections in 1990 the Macedonian parliamentary
democracy has tested two types of electoral models. In the
1990 and 1994 parliamentary elections a majoritarian electoral
system was implemented. Tere were 120 electoral districts for
election of 120 members of the Parliament. Te members of
the Parliament were regularly elected in the second round of
the elections, with a relative majority of the voters. Te 1998
parliamentary elections were held in accordance to a new, mixed
electoral model. Te Parliament continued to be composed
of 120 members. However, 85 members were elected in
accordance with a majoritarian rule, again with regular election
of the members of the Parliament in the second round, with a
relative majority. 35 members of the Parliament were elected in
accordance with the proportional rule, whereby the Republic
was a single electoral district, and with the implementation of
the dHondt formula for the distribution of the mandates, and
with implementation of a 5% electoral threshold. Te new Law
on election of representatives in the Parliament, adopted in May
2002, has again changed the electoral model. It introduces a
pure proportional electoral model, with six electoral districts,
each giving 20 mandates in the Parliament, which is still
composed of 120 members. Te main electoral organs are the
State Electoral Commission, six regional electoral commissions,
and numerous electoral commissions a liated with each of the
voting units. According to the electoral law changes of 2006,
the State Electoral Commission is composed of seven members
who are professionally engaged in its work. Te President of the
Commission is proposed by the parliamentary opposition, and
his/her deputy by the parliamentary majority. In each of the
ve parliamentary elections so far (1990, 1994, 1998, 2002 and
2006), the voters turnout has been relatively high, the lowest
being on the last parliamentary elections of 2006, 55,98%.
Te presidents of the largest governing and opposition
parties address the Macedonian public.
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Te Legal System
Te Republic of Macedonia has a civil law type of a legal
system, and thus belongs to the continental European countries
that are following the great traditions of the Roman Law. Te
county has a written constitution, and all the laws must be in
accordance with the Constitution, and all the other legal acts
must be in accordance with the Constitution and the laws. Te
international agreements that are ratied in accordance with
the Constitution are part of the internal legal system of the
country, and can not be amended by law. Te Republic also
respects the generally accepted norms of the international law.
Te rule of law is a fundamental value of the constitutional
order. Everybody must respect the Constitution and the laws,
and all citizens are equal before the laws. Te legal principles
of constitutionality and legality in abstracto (with respect to
general legal acts) are protected by the Constitutional Court,
and, in concreto (implementation of the general legal acts to
individual cases), by the regular courts. Te laws are the core
legal act in the legal system of the Republic by which all the
major areas of social activity are regulated. Te Constitution
dictates that all laws must be construed around the paramount
need to respect the constitutionally guaranteed rights and
freedoms of the individual and the citizen, and consequently,
anything that is not prohibited, according to the Constitution
is allowed. With respect to the legal traditions followed, the
content of the laws has always been inuenced by the legal
systems of the continental, western European legal systems,
most notably, the ones of France and Germany, especially
in the area of criminal and civil law. Nowadays, each new
law is prepared and adopted with consideration of the legal
standards of the Council of Europe and the European Union.
In particular, special eorts are made to approximate the
laws with the relevant legal instruments of the EU. Each
member of the Parliament, the Government, and at least
10,000 citizens may give formal proposals for adoption of
a new law. Each citizen, group of citizens, institution or
association may submit initiative for adoption of laws to
these holders of the formal legislative proposal power. Te
laws, as well as the other legal acts, must be published before
entering into force in the O cial Gazette of the Republic of
Macedonia, seven days after their adoption at latest. After
adoption, laws must be proclaimed by decree that is signed
both by the President of the Parliament and the President
of the Republic. Te latter has a right not to sign the decree
of proclamation of the law (right of suspensive veto), which
triggers a new deliberation over the law in the Parliament.
If the Parliament adopts the law again with an absolute ma-
jority of the total number of its members, the President of
the Republic must sign the decree. In cases of laws that are
adopted by the Parliament with a two-third majority of its
total number of members, the President of the Republic must
sign the decree. Te laws, in principle, enter into force, at the
earliest, 8 days after their publication, and, in extraordinary
cases determined by the Parliament, they may enter into force
on the day of their publication. Te laws, as well as the other
Te highest legislative body, the Macedonian Parliament, at work.
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legal acts, may not have a retroactive legal eect, except in
extraordinary cases, and only when the retroactivity benets
the citizens that are aected. Te Parliament adopts other
acts with legal nature and legal eect, such as decisions, the
budget, the nal account of the budget, etc. Te main legal
acts adopted by the Government are decisions (for example,
on recognition of other states and governments, on opening
diplomatic and consular o ces in other countries, etc.),
regulations, and other acts (most notably directives) for
implementation of laws adopted by the Parliament. In cases
of state of war or state of emergency, and only while they last,
the Government may adopt the so-called regulations with
a force of law (regulation-law), by which, the Government
takes over the legislative function from the Parliament. Te
courts implement the laws by two main legal acts-verdicts
and decisions. Tese court legal acts are not formal source
of law, though, when adopted by higher courts (courts of
appeals and the Supreme Court) they do inuence the way
the laws are implemented by the lower courts and secure
unied approach to the implementation and interpretation
of laws. Te opinions and conclusions with respect to the
implementation of the laws adopted on joint sessions of the
higher courts have the same eect. All individual legal acts
adopted in the rst instance by the courts, the state adminis-
trative organs and institutions, as well as other organizations
with public authority, may be appealed by those aected. All
individual legal acts must state their legal basis and instruct
the addressee with respect to the further legal recourse and
remedies that are available to him/her. Te proposals and the
adoption of all general legal acts, before and after adoption,
must be accompanied with an elaboration with respect to
its legal basis, justication and purpose.
Arabati Baba Teke (Dervish monastery), 18th century, Tetovo.
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Macroeconomic Developments
The transition process of the Macedonian economy
started at the end of 1995. Te other countries in Eastern
Europe had commenced the process several years earlier.
Macedonias delay was a result of a series of factors that left
gross economic consequences: the disintegration of former
Yugoslavia (1990-1992), the imposition of sanctions against
FR Yugoslavia (spring 1992 autumn 1995), and the Greek
embargo (February 1994 September 1995). Terefore,
Macedonia suered severe damages. With the dissolution of
the Yugoslav market, Macedonia lost a great portion of its
traditional markets. Te sanctions against Yugoslavia caused
losses topping 3 billion dollars. Te Greek embargo blocked
the main tra c artery towards Europe along which 90 percent
of Macedonias exports ran. Te sanctions coupled with the
embargo increased the prices of the Macedonian products
by around 80 percent on average.
During this period, almost all relevant macroeconomic
indicators had a downward trend. Te rst modest GDP
increase was registered in 1996. In the following couple of
years the Macedonian economy took an upward course as a
result of the well-carried out strenuous reforms. Macedonia
managed to end 1999, an extremely di cult year due to
the Kosovo crisis, with a 4.3% GDP growth rate, followed
by a 4.5% GDP growth rate in 2000. Te positive trend,
however, was thwarted in 2001 because of the military crisis
in Macedonia. In 2001, the ination rate reached 5.5% and
the GDP fell by 4.5%. In 2003 the ination rate was 1.2%,
while GDP increased by 2.8%. One of the key policies for
2004 remains the maintenance of the stable exchange rate
of the denar, as it is the basis for all other policies.
In 2005 the real GDP growth rate was 3.8%, and the
nominal GDP growth rate stood at 7.2% relative to 2004.
TRANSITION
The Macedonian Economy
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Macedonia is one of the few countries that managed to avoid a
system-banking crisis, although there were more reasons for that in
Macedonia than in any other country. Macedonias monetary inde-
pendence was declared in April 1992 when the frst Macedonian de-
nars went into circulation. Tey lasted for a year and their introduc-
tion marked the beginning of the fght against hyperinfation, which
amounted at the time to around 2,000%. By way of anti-infation
programs Macedonia managed to bring the hyperinfation down and
to keep it on a one-digit level since 1995 against the infuence of
external factors. Maintaining the stable purchase power of the denar
by preserving price stability has been one of the major achievements
of the Macedonian National Bank over the past ten years. Although
the denar exchange rate is fuctuating, the National Bank manages
to keep it stable with regular interventions on the exchange market,
in supply and demand alike.
Te monetary modernization developed mostly between 1993
and 1996, mainly by severing ties between the National Bank and
the fnancing of agriculture through the primary issue models. In
addition, ties were cut of between the monetary and the executive
branch and as a result of certain legislative modifcations the Nation-
al Bank became independent in managing its credit and monetary
policy. Macedonia proclaimed the internal denar convertibility and
the National Bank said it would not directly determine interest rates
of commercial banks. Finally, banks underwent a rehabilitation pro-
cess considering their poor solvency and the fact that almost 80% of
the bank credits since Macedonias independence were non-perform-
ing loans. Te Republic of Macedonia assumed from bank balances
liabilities incurred by using foreign credits from the Paris Club and
the London Club, as well as the foreign exchange saving debts.
MONETARY INDEPENDENCE
Over the past three years, that is to say from 2004 to
2006, Macedonias economic growth rate stood at about 4 %,
prompted chiefy by the considerably increased exports.
According to the macro-economic projections for 2007,
GDP is expected to rise by 6%*, and the infation rate to
reach about 3.0%.
Te stable macroeconomic situation, characterized by a
low infation rate, stable denar exchange rate, conservative
fscal policy, growing foreign currency reserves and intensifed
structural and institutional reforms, helped Macedonia enter
a period of a higher and sustainable economic growth.
* DespitethehighlyrealisticassumptionsbehindtheprojectedrealGDP
growthrates,westicktotheconservativeapproachandbaseourmacro-
fnancial calculations on a very watchful macroeconomic framework.
Terefore,weproposearealGDPgrowthrateof4.0%in2007and
4.5%in2008and2009
(NationalDevelopmentPlan2007-2009)
1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Change in real GDP % -7.5 -1.8 -1.1 1.2 1.4 3.4 4.3 4.5 -4.5 0.9 2.8 4.1 3.8* 3.1**
Infation (avg.)
1
% 349.8 121.8 15.9 3.0 4.4 0.8 -1.1 5.8 5.5 1.8 1.2 -0.4 0.5 3.2
Infation (end-year) % 229.6 55.4 9.2 0.2 4.5 -1.0 2.3 6.1 3.7 1.1 2.6 -1.9 1.2 2.9
General Government balance % GDP -13.4 -2.9 -1.2 -0.5 -0.4 -1.7 0.0 1.8 -7.2 -5.7 -1.1 0.0 0.2 -0.6
Exchange rate, end of year DEN/EUR / / / / / / / 60.7 60.9 61.0 61.3 61.3 61.3 61.2
Exchange rate, end of year DEN/US$ 23.6 43.2 38.0 40.0 49.8 54.5 56.9 65.9 68.0 64.7 54.3 49.4 49.3 48.8
Exports (FOB) US$bn. 1.06 1.09 1.20 1.15 1.24 1.29 1.19 1.32 1.16 1.11 1.36 1.67 2.04 2.40
Imports (FOB) US$bn. 1.01 1.27 1.43 1.46 1.62 1.81 1.69 2.01 1.68 1.92 2.21 2.78 3.10 3.68
5
Trade balance US$bn. 0.04 -0.18 -0.22 -0.31 -0.39 -0.52 -0.50 -0.69 -0.53 -0.80 -0.85 -1.11 -1.06 -1.29
Current account balance US$bn. -0.08 -0.26 -0.30 -0.33 -0.29 -0.27 -0.03 -0.07 -0.24 -0.36 -0.15 -0.41 -0.08 -0.02
as % of GDP
2
% -3.3 -7.8 -6.7 -7.7 -7.7 -7.5 -0.9 -2.0 -7.1 -9.5 -3.2 -7.7 -1.4 -0.4
Foreign exchange reserves US$bn. 0.12 0.17 0.28 0.28 0.26 0.32 0.45 0.70 0.76 0.72 0.90 0.97 1.32 1.87
Import cover (Reserves/imp.) months 1.2 1.3 1.9 1.9 1.6 1.9 2.8 3.7 4.7 4.0 4.3 3.6 4.4 5.3
Total foreign debt
3
US$bn. 1.14 1.26 1.43 1.17 1.13 1.47 1.50 1.55 1.49 1.64 1.84 2.08 2.27 2.43
as % of GDP
2
% 45.4 37.2 32.1 26.5 30.3 41.1 40.9 43.1 43.5 43.5 39.7 38.7 39.1 39.2
Total debt service
4
US$bn. 0.02 0.14 0.05 0.14 0.12 0.14 0.16 0.19 0.21 0.23 0.25 0.25 0.23 0.48
Table:Basic macroeconomic indicators
Sources:NationalBankoftheRepublicofMacedonia,StateStatisticalOfceandMinistryofFinance
*
Preliminarydata(SSO).
**
Estimateddata(SSO).
1
Upto1999,accordingtotheretail
priceindex,since2000,accordingto
theconsumerpriceindex.
2
CalculatedonthebasisofSSO
nominalGDPindenarsconvertin
dollarsusingaverageexchangerate
3
Since1998,totalexternaldebt
comprisesshortandlong-term
creditsandloans.
4
Referstolong-termexternaldebt.
5
Additionallyadjustedforthetime
laginimportsofelectricity.
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Figure: Structure of the long-term debt by types of creditors
(as of December 31, 2006; in millions of Euros)
Source: National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia
Te policy of restricted indebtedness with foreign credits
and loans, as well as the policy of regular servicing of the due
liabilities in the public sector continued in 2003. As a result
of the implementation of the reforms in the country and the
adherence to the policy agreed with the International Monetary
Fund, the Fund extended the Stand-By Arrangement. Te
renewal of the cooperation with the International Monetary
Fund represents a positive signal to the international
community and prerequisite for obtaining the announced
funds from donors and creditors. Te external debt of the
Republic of Macedonia consists of liabilities of residents to
non-residents, which rose on the basis of used short-term and
long-term loans and credits extended by multilateral, bilateral
and private creditors.
On November 30, 2003, the total external debt of the
Republic of Macedonia amounted to US Dollar 1,789.43
million. Out of this amount, 95.01% or US Dollar 1,700.22
million was a long-term debt, while the short-term debt
equaled US Dollar 89.21 million or 4.99%. In the rst half
of 2003, funds in the amount of US Dollar 77.41 million
were withdrawn on the basis of long-term credits and loans.
A total of US Dollar 98.23 million was repaid on the basis of
servicing foreign liabilities, US Dollar 73.24 million of which
is principal and US Dollar 24.99 million is interest.
Te largest portion of the external long-term debt or
85.62% consists of the public sector debt in the amount of US
Dollar 1,383.17 million, while 14.38% is a debt of the private
sector in the amount of US Dollar 232.22 million. With
respect to the original date of maturity, the largest portion of
the public debt, in the amount of US Dollar 454.62 million or
32.89%, matures in 10 to 15 years, US Dollar 450.79 million
or 32.62% becomes due in 15 to 20 years, US Dollar 332.81
million or 24.08% matures in 30 years. Te share of credits
and loans with maturity of up to 10 years in the amount of
US Dollar 119.27 million or 8.63%, and the share of those
which become due in 20 to 25 years in the amount of US
Dollar 23.91 million or 1.73% is considerably smaller.
As of June 30, 2003, the short-term debt equaled US
Dollar 81.38 million. Of these US Dollar 77.78 million were
liabilities based on principal, US Dollar 0.47 million were
overdue interest, and US Dollar 3.13 million are estimated
late fee charges. Te short-term debt outstanding consists of
the planned repayments of principle maturing in the following
period, the capitalized amounts of the arrears based on
principle and interest, and the estimated late interest.
In order to reduce its external debt as of January 2004 the
Republic of Macedonia increased its debt towards citizens,
domestic companies and banks. By the end of 2004 the
Government intends to increase its home debt by additional
2 billion denars with which it will service its external debt. Te
Government has allocated 200 million denars in the budget
expenditures for payment of interests on these loans.
FOREIGN DEBT
Figure: Structure of the long-term debt by Multilateral creditors
(as of December 31, 2006; in millions of Euros)
IBRD
22,7%
IDA
33,1%
EIB
14,2%
EBRD
10,0%
EU
10,2%
Other creditors
9,8%
I N D I C A T O R S 31.12.2001 31.12.2002 31.12.2003 31.12.2004 31.12.2005 31.12.2006
Total external debt/GDP
(criterion: moderate indebtedness 30-50%)
45.50% 40.25% 36.99% 36.89% 44.28% 39.50%
Total external debt/export
(criterion: lower indebtedness 0-165%)
107.77% 98.75% 98.25% 99.59% 111.47% 90.40%
Debt servicing/ export of goods and services
(criterion: lower indebtedness 0-18%)
14.69% 15.66% 14.86% 12.99% 10.99% 20.51%
Repayment of interest/export of goods and services
(criterion: lower indebtedness 0-12%)
4.43% 3.55% 3.19% 2.53% 2.65% 3.23%
Table: Indictors for the level of indebtedness of the Republic of Macedonia
Tax relieves concern domestic and foreign taxpayers, and their prime
goal is fostering foreign investments. Some of them include:
extremely low corporate income tax rate of a mere 12%.
three-year exemption from corporate income tax for foreign
investors being 100% owners of Macedonian companies.
reduced corporate income tax base for investors investing part of
their prot in underdeveloped regions. Te reduction equals the
invested funds of the prot, up to 50% of the base though.
reduced corporate income tax from the base when investing in
environmental protection. Te reduction equals the size of the
investment.
prot tax exemption in a period of 10 years for a company that
uses a customs-free zone.
tax relieves when investing in technological modernization or if a
company is listed on the o cials market of the Macedonian Stock
Exchange, etc.
Te tax structure in Macedonia is as follows:
personal income tax 12% for all taxpayers as of 2007, which
will decline to 10% in 2008.
corporate income tax (prot tax) 12% as of 2007, which will
decline to 10% in 2008.
value added tax a general rate of 18% and a reduced rate of 5%.
customs ranging from 0% to 30%, with some food items be-
ing subject to a higher rate of 60%. Te Republic of Macedonia
was admitted to the World Trade Organization on 4 April 2003,
which resulted into a customs rate reduction for approximately
3,000 products as of 1 January 2004. Te average customs rate
of 12% in 2003 was reduced to 10.7% in 2004, while in 2006
it stood at less than 7%.
excise sales tax on specic products: oil and oil derivatives,
tobacco products, alcohol beverages, and cars.
Te Government introduced a at tax rate of 12 percent
on corporate and personal income in 2007, which will fur-
ther decline to 10 percent in 2008. Te previous corporate
income tax rate was 15%, while the personal income tax rates
stood at 15%, 18% and 24%. With the aim of encouraging
additional foreign and domestic investments, the corporate
tax rate on re-invested prot is set at 0%. Te tax authorities
have established a Special Unit for large taxpayers.
Tere are special tax incentives in the technological and
industrial development zones (TIDZ). Te most important
include a 10year corporate income tax exemption and a
50 percent personal income tax reduction for a period of
5 years. After the expiry of the 10-year corporate income
tax exemption, companies in the zones will be able to take
advantage of the 0% re-invested prot tax rate. Te eective
personal income tax amounts to 5%
[1]
.
In order to avoid double taxation of foreign companies
located in the Republic of Macedonia, 34 double taxation
agreements have been concluded on a bilateral basis, 25 of
which are in force
[2]
. Te remaining 9
[3]
are expected to be
ratied soon.
Te tax system of Macedonia came to resemble developed
countries tax systems at the outset of 1994 when new tax
laws came into practice. Te sweeping tax system reforms
ended a few years later with the enactment of the Value Added
Tax Law, which came into eect on 1 April 2000 after many
years of preparations.
As part of the obligations the Macedonian Government
undertook with the arrangement with the IMF, modications
were made to the Value Added Tax Law, and in April 2003,
the general rate was decreased from 19% to 18%, whereas
the reduced rate for certain items remained 5%. As of April 1,
2003, the general rate of 18% applies to electricity for industry,
heating, apartments, medicaments, hygiene products, sweets
and alcohol drinks, while as of June 2003 this rate also applies
to electricity for households. Te reduced rate of 5% applies
to water for households and alimentary products.
TAXATION IN MACEDONIA
Te social contributions, under Macedonias tax system, are deducted
from salaries and paid directly to the three social funds: the Pension
and Disability Insurance Fund, the Health Insurance Fund and the
Employment Fund. Te social contribution rates are as follows:
contribution for pension and disability insurance 21.2%.
contribution for health insurance 9.2%.
contribution for employment 1.6%.
contribution for additional health insurance 0.5%.
Figure: Tax revenues structure for Budget 2007
[1]
Only in 2007, the personal income tax will amount to 6% in
TIDZ.
[2]
Croatia, Turkey, the then Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Poland,
Italy, the Peoples Republic of China, the Russian Federation, Alba-
nia, Sweden, Ukraine, Slovenia, the Netherlands, Bulgaria, France,
Egypt, Denmark, Switzerland, Romania, the Czech Republic, Iran,
Finland, Hungary, Belarus and Spain.
[3]
FR Germany, Slovakia, Moldova, Austria, Latvia, Belgium, Bosnia
and Herzegovina, Great Britain and Ireland.
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Te unemployment rate in Macedonia had been con-
stantly on the rise until 2005. According to the data of
the Employment Agency in the period between 1991 and
2003, the number of the jobless rose by more than 100%.
In 1991, there were over 167,000 unemployed people in
Macedonia. Ten years later, in December 2001, the gure
had jumped to 355,000, whereas in December 2003 it was
390,361. Tis growing tendency is mainly a result of the
transition process and the corporate reforms. A major por-
tion of the unemployed are laid-o workers of loss-making
enterprises and other companies that failed to adjust to the
new business conditions.
Within the frame of its macro-economic policy for
2004, the Government adopted a National Action Plan
for Employment, which envisaged a 3% reduction in the
unemployment rate.
Te Plan, which was produced by the EUs CARDS
Program, was tested until 2005. It cost 10 million euros, 2
million of which came from the Unions funds, while the
remainder was provided from the budgets of the economic
ministries. Te Plan fostered ten pilot projects, with precisely
dened measures and directions, which were implemented
in the employment sphere and in accordance with the EU
regulations.
According to the Plan, the Employment Bureau was
transformed into an Employment Agency following the
western European model. Te detection of active measures
for creating new jobs is the priority of this institution.
In April 2003, according to the workforce survey con-
ducted by the State Statistical O ce , there were 861,000
economically active people, and the number of the unem-
ployed was 316,000. According to the Employment Agency
in 2003 the unemployment rate reached 36.7%. Te dis-
crepancy between the gures presented by the Employment
Agency and the State Statistical O ce is a result of their
dierent methodologies. One of the major characteristics
of the unemployed in Macedonia is their youth. If analyzed
by sex, 56.98 % of them are men, and if analyzed by age,
34.04 % are under 30.
Around 57% of the employed in 2004 worked in the pri-
vate sector, which is a 20% increase from 1997. Macedonias
employment rate had a downward trend until 2004. Te
negative trend was stalled in 2005 when the number of the
employed increased by 4.4% from 2004 and in 2006 went
further up by 4.6% from 2005, while the number of the
jobless in 2006 noted a 0.8% decline from 2005.
In spite of these facts, the unemployment rate is still
excessively high. According to the labor market survey
conducted by the State Statistical O ce, the unemployment
rate in 2005 stood at 37.3%, where 59% of the unemployed
were men, while the unemployment rate in 2006 was 36
percent, where 59.7 percent of the jobless were men.
Te Employment Relations Law adopted in 2005, which
is considered very exible, aims to encourage growth, invest-
ments and job migration from the informal to the formal
sector, increasing at the same time the employees rights.
Within the framework of the Program of the Government
for the period from 2006 to 2010, an operative employment
plan has been developed for 2007, which lists a series of
active measures intended to subdue unemployment.
UNEMPLOYMENT
Source: Employment Agency 2004 2005 2006
Figure: Age structure of the unemployed (December, 2006)
110.762
(30.22%)
93.391
(25.48%)
81.529
(22.24%)
80.866
(22.06%)
Figure: Unemployment 1991-2006
Table: Labor force (according to the Labor Force Survey). Source: State Statistical O ce in 000 persons
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Active population 789.1 800.5 823.8 806.7 811.6 862.5 825.0 861.0 832.3 869.2 891.7
Employed 537.6 512.3 539.8 545.2 549.8 599.3 561.0 545.1 523.0 545.3 570.4
Unemployed 251.5 288.2 284.1 261.4 261.7 263.2 263.0 315.9 309.3 323.9 321.3
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Te arrangements with the IMF and the World Bank helped
Macedonia sort out problems related to the decits in the balance
of payments and obtain other nancial aid in the form of grants or
soft loans from developed countries. Tey also helped the country
regulate its relations with the Paris and the London Club of Creditors.
So since independence until the end of 2001, Macedonia managed
to repay external debts of $713.8 million.
Te arrangements with the international nancial institutions
and the fulllment of the criteria for their execution were conducive
to a disciplined conduct by all relevant entities in the realization of
Macedonias economic policy, and attaining a macro-economic stabil-
ity as a precondition for a sustainable economic growth.
MACEDONIA IMF. Te Republic of Macedonia is rectifying its
image and is turning from a medium-indebted country into a low-
indebted one. On 23 May 2007, Macedonia made advance repayment
of its entire outstanding obligations to the International Monetary
Fund (IMF), amounting to the equivalent of SDR 29.19 million
(about US$44.2 million). Tese liabilities resulted from the current
three-year Stand-By Arrangement approved on 31 August 2005, as
well as from liabilities under previous arrangements. Te repayment of
its debt to the IMF ahead of schedule comes in the wake of the April
2007 decision for early repayment of the countrys debts to the World
Bank and the European Investment Bank. Debts of $103 million to
the Paris Club of Creditors had been previously repaid too.
Macedonias debt to the IMF was due in 2010. Te early pay-o
will save the country 2.7 million dollars, which would have otherwise
been spent on interest rates.
Te IMF will continue to support the governments reform eorts
in the context of Macedonias 2005-2008 Stand-By Arrangement.
Te country started its cooperation with the IMF on 14 December
1992 and has so far concluded a number of arrangements with this
international nancial institution. Te rst arrangement with the IMF
for structural adjustment of the economy was carried out in 1994.
For the following two years, Macedonia entered a stand-by arrange-
ment that was also successfully put into practice. At the beginning
of 1997, the ESAF/PRGF arrangement came into eect. Te process
was scheduled to take three years, but was terminated in 1999 in the
heat of the Kosovo crisis when Macedonia suered enormous losses
and had to put up around 300,000 refugees. Macedonian and IMF
o cials agreed then to replace the ESAF with an EFF arrangement
approved in late November 2000. According to the IMF rules, EFF
arrangements are concluded with countries having suered substantial
economic loss.
Once the Kosovo crisis was over, negotiations were resumed and
resulted in a new PRGF arrangement in December 2000. However,
the outbreak of Macedonias military crisis put the arrangement on
hold. In the period January-June 2002, Macedonia was under the
Sta Monitoring Program. On 30 April 2003, the Board of Directors
of the IMF approved a stand-by arrangement for Macedonia. Te
arrangement worth 27.6 million dollars ends in June 2004.
MACEDONIA WORLD BANK. Te Government decided in 2007
to repay an impressive amount of a total of 292 million dollars ahead
of schedule, 137 million dollars of which constitute eight loans from
the World Bank and the European Investment Bank taken before
1997. Te early debt repayment will save the budget for 2007 about
9.4 million dollars, which will be reallocated.
Macedonia joined the World Bank in 1993 and is represented
within the Dutch constituency of countries along with Armenia,
Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Georgia, Israel,
Moldavia, the Netherlands, Romania and Ukraine. Since Macedonia
became a member of the World Bank Group in 1993, the World Bank
has approved 20 IDA credits and 12 IBRD loans for the Republic of
Macedonia for 25 projects, totaling more than US$ 630 million.
Te main spheres of the World Bank support to Macedonia are
social protection and health, agriculture, infrastructure, legal reform,
public sector management and power sector reforms.
Te cooperation also encompassed activities to strengthen the
social safety net, education and health through investment lending
and technical assistance and to improve infrastructure facilities. Te
joint eorts of the World Bank team and Government o cials resulted
in the preparation of the Country Assistance Strategy (CAS) in 1998,
with three main aspects: promoting private sector growth and job
creation, enhancing the e ciency of the state and alleviating poverty,
and developing human capital. A CAS Progress Report was issued in
June 2000 to take stock of progress in CAS implementation and to
assess the impact of the Kosovo crisis on the country.
On 9 September 2003, the Board of Directors of the World Bank
approved the new support strategy for Macedonia. Te strategy con-
tains the planned operations of the bank structural and investment
loans, economic and sector studies, and technical assistance for the
period 2004 2006 with a total value of 165 million dollars.
In spite of the crises in 1999 and 2001, which seriously interrupted
the development of the country, signicant progress has been achieved
in the economic reforms. Tis includes progress in the health care
and nancial sectors, and to a certain extent in the management of
public assets. Te primary future economic challenges remain the
improvement of public sector management, strengthening trans-
parency and e ciency of public expenditures, and rendering of the
public administration professional. According to the World Bank, the
eorts to improve the investment climate in order to attract greater
foreign and domestic investments will be of crucial importance for
the long-term development of the country.
RELATIONS TO IMF AND WORLD BANK
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Te nancial system in Macedonia consists of the National
Bank of the Republic of Macedonia (central bank), com-
mercial banks, and savings houses or institutions, as well as
insurance companies and a stock exchange. Te system is still
rather weak compared to Western standards, but it compares
favorably to other former socialist countries. Te rst years
of independence witnessed volatility in the nancial markets
and banking sector, but conditions have settled down to a
considerable extent. Te National Bank has worked closely
with the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank,
and other international and national nancial institutions
in implementing an orthodox stabilization program. Te
strategy of bank rehabilitation, restructuring and privatization
produced signicant results. International transition reports
assess the banking sector reforms as the most successful com-
pared to those made in the other areas. During the transitional
period, the nancial sector underwent radical reforms, which
enabled it to oer accelerated activity for investments and
a guarantee for long-term and stable economic and trade
cooperation with foreign countries and encouragement of
investing activities on all grounds.
THE NATIONAL BANK OF THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA is the
countrys central bank. Its functions include maintaining
price stability, safeguarding the value of the national currency,
ensuring liquidity in the economy and supervising the activi-
ties of the banking system. Te National Bank is independent
institution and is free to undertake monetary measures and
determine instruments necessary to achieve these goals. Te
Parliament appoints the members of the Banks board. Te
President of the Republic proposes a candidate for Governor
of the Bank, but Parliament issues the actual appointment.
Te Policy is implemented through a mixture of monetary
instruments, including reserve requirements, National Bank
bills, Lombard credits and interests rate policy.
Te National Bank of Macedonia, as supervisor of the
banking sector, plays this role based on the provisions of the
Banking Law. Although the law has been harmonized with
the EU legislation, modications, being part of the 3-year
arrangements with the IMF and the World Bank, will be
made in 2007.
THE COMMERCIAL BANKING SECTOR consisted of 19 private
banks, 1 state-owned bank and 15 savings institutions at
the end of 2005. In 2005 the interest of certain important
international banks in setting up branches in the Republic
of Macedonia increased. In the middle of 2007, the French
Socit Gnrale entered Ohridska banka. Te analysis of the
capital structure reveals that the two major banks, Stopanska
banka and Komercijalna banka, dominate and the largest
portion of the banking industry is located in the capital city
of Skopje. Te level of privatization of the banking capital in
2005 was 95%, with only one completely state-owned bank.
Te share of the foreign capital in the total banking capital of
the Republic of Macedonia is 52.5%. Sixteen Macedonian
banks have foreign capital, while 8 banks are owned by foreign
shareholders (the share of the foreign capital exceeds 51.8%
of the total capital of these banks). Out of these 8 banks, 4
are subsidiaries of foreign banks. Te success of the banking
sector in the Republic of Macedonia is relatively good, as
demonstrated by the growing trust of the population, whose
bank deposits are on the rise. At the end of 2004, the banks
deposit base increased by 17.2%, to 1,342 million euros, rela-
tive to 31 December 2003. On 31 December 2005, banks
savings deposits hit their high since Macedonias monetary
independence of 1,575 million euros.
In parallel, interest rates have been steadily decreasing,
but still remain high. Average inter-bank interest rates in
2005 were about 8%. Commercial loans are available at rates
ranging from 6-13%. Te three largest banks Komercijalna
BANKING
Developments in the Economic Sector
Jubilee gold coin,
10 Years Indepen-
dent Republic of
Macedonia
(1991-2001)
Jubilee silver coin,
2000 Years of
Christianity
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banka, Stopanska banka AD Skopje, and NLB Tutunska
banka dominate the banking system. In 2005, these banks
held 66.1% of the total net assets of the banking system,
and 73.1% of the total deposits of non-nancial entities.
Several other smaller foreign banks, as well as the third larg-
est Turkish bank T.C. Ziraat Bankasi, are also present in the
Macedonian banking through investments. ProCredit Bank,
owned by the EBRD, IMI, IFC and KfW-Frankfurt, started
its operations in the middle of July 2003. Te minimum
limit for the capital of a bank, with major authorization,
is EUR 9 million.
Macedonia transformed its former one-layer payment
system into a multi-layer payment system consisting of three
levels. Te rst level, the gross settlement system, functions
through the Macedonian inter-banking payment system
(MIPS) located at the National Bank of Macedonia. Te
second level, which is operated by a specialized institution
the Clearinghouse (derived from the Bureau of Payment
Operations) functions as a net clearing system for small
inter-banking payments on a multi-lateral basis. Te third
level encompasses payments of clients within the framework
of the same bank.
INSURANCE SECTOR Tere were 11 insurance companies work-
ing on the insurance market in the Republic of Macedonia in
2006, together with 5 insurance brokerage companies operat-
ing on the market as mediators between insurance companies
and their clients. One of the 11 insurance companies has a
license to issue non-life insurance and reinsurance, two have
a license to issue life insurance, and the remaining eight
are registered only for non-life insurance activities. Foreign
capital makes up 67% on average of the stocks of the insur-
ance companies. Five of the insurance companies are wholly
foreign-owned, while in three foreign capital accounts for over
51%. QBE Inter Insurance LTD London holds the controlling
stake of the largest one. Te basic legal framework regulating
the incorporation, operations and supervision of insurance
companies and insurance brokerage houses in the Republic
of Macedonia is the Insurance Supervision Law, which is
harmonized on several bases with the EU insurance legislation.
In 2005, the insurance companies in the Republic of Mace-
donia realized a total gross premium of EUR 82.9 million,
2.15% of which was for life insurance. Within the Ministry
of Finance there is a department for supervision of insurance,
which makes sure the legislation on insurance is observed.
Figure: Structure of total deposits by sector (2006)
Table: Groups of banks
LARGE BANKS
(asset over 15 billion denars)
MEDIUM BANKS
(asset between 4.5 - 15 billion denars)
SMALL BANKS
(asset lower than 4.5 billion denars)
1 Komercijalna banka AD Skopje 1 Alfa banka AD Skopje 1 Eurostandard banka AD Skopje
2 NLB Tutunska banka AD Skopje 2 Investbanka AD Skopje 2 Internacionalna privatna banka AD Skopje
3 Stopanska banka AD Skopje 3 Izvozna i kreditna banka AD Skopje 3 Komercijalno investiciona banka AD Kumanovo
* Banks are in alphabetical order
4 Ohridska banka AD Ohrid 4 Macedonian Bank for Develop. Prom. AD Skopje
5 Prokredit banka AD Skopje 5 Makedonska banka AD Skopje
6 Stopanska banka AD Bitola 6 Postenska banka AD Skopje
7 UNI banka AD Skopje 7 Sileks banka AD Skopje
8 T.C. Ziraat bankasi AD Skopje
9 TTK banka AD Skopje
Households
(67,1%)
Enterprises
(30,7%)
Non-protable non-nancial
organizations (0,9%)
Other sectors
(1,3%)
68.2%
34.5% 0.2%
11.6%
21.5% 32.3%
Short-term credits
to enterprises
Short-term credits
to households
Long-term credits
to enterprises
Long-term credits
to households
Other sectors
24.5%
0.3%
7.0%
0%
DENAR PLACEMENTS FOREIGN CURRENCY PLACEMENTS
Figure: Maturity and sector structure of the banks placements on December 31, 2006
70
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Tirteen Macedonian banks, three insurance companies
and three savings banks founded the Macedonian Stock
Exchange (MSE) in March 1995 with authorized capital
of 500,000 euros. In the middle of 2001, the Macedonian
Stock Exchange AD Skopje was transformed into a prot-
making stock company and became the rst stock exchange
in the region that started a process of transformation from a
non-prot into a classical prot-making joint stock company.
Any domestic and foreign legal and physical entities can be
shareholders on the Macedonian Stock Exchange. Te share
of an individual shareholder on the Stock Exchange is limited
to 10% of the xed assets of the Macedonian Stock Exchange.
Under the Securities Law of 1997, brokerage houses were
the only members of the Stock Exchange, and under the
Securities Law of 2000, banks were allowed to participate
too as of 2002. Te members of the Stock Exchange have to
receive a license for trading in securities from the Securities
and Exchange Commission of the Republic of Macedonia.
Only authorized brokers (in Macedonia there are about
300 licensed brokers), employed in the Stock Exchange
members, may perform direct trading in securities. Under
the Securities Law of 2000, brokerage houses must have at
least 75,000 euros of authorized capital in order to obtain
the basic license (just for a mediator in trading) and 500,000
euros of authorized capital for a full license.
At the moment (May 2007) the Stock Exchange has
20 shareholders (8 brokerage houses, 8 banks, 1 insurance
company and 3 private investors). Te turnover realized
on the Macedonian Stock Exchange by way of classical
trading from January to December 2006 totaled over 175
million euros, which is a 61.08 % increase from 2005. Te
most prominent events on the Macedonian Stock Exchange
in 2006 were the sale of AD ESM, the announcement of
Komercijalna bankas sale, the introduction of a 5-day
trading week, the introduction of SEI-NET - Internet ap-
plication for posting information by listed companies, the
introduction of discontinued auctions in trading, as well
as the public stock market auctions through which the sale
of a few packages of bank shares was realized. Te stock
market results in 2006 were the best ever. Te total turnover
noted an increase of 248 % from 2005. Block transactions
in classical trade, which account for 45% of the turnover,
noted an enormous increase too, while the Macedonian
o cial blue-chip index, MBI-10, which is an indicator of
the share price uctuations, peaked at 3,702.54 points in
2006, which was a 61.54% rise from 2005.
Te prominent improvement of the transparency of the
listed companies performance, the inux of foreign portfolio
investors, the pension system reforms, the invigoration of the
banking system, the stable denar exchange rate, the developed
and safe market infrastructure, as well as the more favorable
business environment are some of the more important reasons
for the turnover and share price increase in 2006.
In the middle of 2001, the shares of the rst commer-
cially privatized company, Toplikacija AD Skopje (Skopjes
heating company), became listed on the Macedonian Stock
Exchange. On 1 November 2001, the o cial stock exchange
index was introduced including the ve most liquid shares
in 2001 (the shares of Toplikacija, Makpetrol, Alkaloid,
Komercijalna banka and Evropa). In January 2005, the new
Macedonian Stock Exchange Index, MBI-10, through the
weighting of which through market capitalization movements
STOCK EXCHANGE
0
5.000
10.000
15.000
20.000
1997 1996 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
1.101
35
1.824
658
5.237
3.240
2.831
3.791
3.147
7.145
17.047
Figure: Turnover by Year (1996-2006) (in mill. denars)
Source: Macedonian Stock Exchange
Figure: Structure of the Stock Exchange turnover in 2006
Source: Macedonian Stock Exchange
Ocial market
Unocial market
Other securities
Block-transactions
Government segment
29.58%
5.22%
45.04%
0.05%
20.11%
71
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500
1.000
1.500
2.000
2.500
3.000
3.500
4.000
4.500
5.000
0
4
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0
1
2
0
.
0
1
0
8
.
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2
2
3
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0
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2
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0
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0
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0
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2
3
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0
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0
7
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0
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2
5
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0
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1
5
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0
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9
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0
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0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
MBI-10
2005 2006
Classical trading
(in mill. denars)
of share prices on the Stock Exchange can be more realisti-
cally presented, was introduced. MBI-10 is made up of the
ordinary shares of 10 listed companies, Alkaloid AD Skopje,
Toplikacija AD Skopje, Komercijalna banka AD Skopje,
Makpetrol AD Skopje, Granit AD Skopje, Stopanska banka
AD Bitola, Beton AD Skopje, ZK Pelagonija AD Bitola,
Makstil AD Skopje and Ohridska banka AD Ohrid.
In order to foster the promotion of Macedonias capital
market, several signicant institutional modications were
made:
corporate income tax on listed companies in 2006
was reduced by 30% and in 2007 by 15%.
on 1 January 2006 tax was introduced on capital gain
made through trading in securities.
Te Athens Stock Exchange purchased the latest issue of
155 shares of the Macedonian Stock Exchange for 93 million
euros, taking hold of 10% of the capital of MSE. Te entry
of the Athens Stock Exchange is considered recognition of
the quality with which MSE functions and of the quality of
the entire infrastructure of the capital market in Macedonia.
In 2004 the Macedonian companies established dual listing
abroad, as well as linking of the computer systems of the
Macedonian and Athens Stock Exchanges.
MSE is a member of the Federation of Euro-Asian
Stock Exchanges (FEAS) since 1996. MSE has so far signed
Memorandums of Understanding with the Ljubljana Stock
Exchange (2001), the Hellenic Exchanges (2002), the Tes-
saloniki Stock Exchange Center (2003) and the Belgrade
Stock Exchange (2003).
Figure: Macedonian Stock Exchange index (MBI-10) in 2005-2006
Te Closing Bell of the
Macedonian Stock Exchange.
72
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MACEDONIAN INDUSTRY
In the course of its EU integration, the Republic of Mace-
donia focuses on radical reform processes in its state bodies,
institutions and the whole system in general, laying thereby
special stress on its economy. Te opening of the Repub-
lic of Macedonia to the world implies a higher degree of
liberalization and membership of international economic
organizations. Radical legislative modications are made
in the area of taxes and customs taris, as special attention
is called to the regulation of the conditions for enticing
foreign investments, not just as a guarantee to investors,
but also for the purpose of creating promotional measures
for their stimulation.
Te analyses of the structural changes in the production
of the national economy revealed that Macedonia is capable
of a successful transformation from a country in transition
into a modern economy by means of intensifying private
sector investments. Hence, in the past few years, activities
to promote small and medium business developed in paral-
lel to activities to increase the existing industrial structure.
Te restructuring of the production went in the direction
of increased technological activities, more pronounced
export orientation, higher degree of nalization and di-
versication of the structure by decreasing dependency
on imported raw materials and energy, and development
of new sectors. Te Republic of Macedonia does not lack
natural resources (non-metal and metal ores, arable land
and water) in order to raise primary agriculture on a higher
level and adapt it to the demands of the choosy European
and world consumer. Within the framework of the new
development strategy, it was necessary to reconcile laws
and make them compatible with the European legislation.
Hence, over the past few years, all free trade agreements
were signed in compliance with the European directives
and the directives of the World Trade Organization. In
the meantime, a number of laws were passed, such as the
law on protection of consumers, the law on protection of
industrial property, the law on prevention of monopoly and
restriction of competition, the anti-money laundering law,
the law on concessions, leasing, etc.
As of 1 June 2001 Macedonian steel has been
exported freely to European markets. Under Protocol 2,
which is an integral part of the Stabilization and Association
Agreement between the Republic of Macedonia and the
EU, customs and quantity restrictions on Macedonian steel
were lifted. Te system of double control, however, stayed
in force, which means that Macedonian steel products are
freely exported to European markets, as the origin of the
goods and the double control are the only non-tari protec-
tion of the EU against Macedonian products, and represent
a type of self-restriction.
Trough the system of double control, Europe will keep
close watch over the issuance of documents and certicates
proving the origin of the steel products. Te provisions of
the SAA Protocol 2 are an extraordinary opportunity to
export Macedonian steel to European markets. Te project
Steel European Star 2001 has announced Macedonias
prospects as an epicenter of the regional metal complex.
Makstil - Duferko, the company that is responsible for this
project, promoted the Macedonian steel, the steel with a
Macedonian sun, as a national product with identied
standards, compatible with the European ones.
In compliance with the obligations undertaken with
Protocol 2, the Republic of Macedonia prepared a national
program for restructuring the steel industry, which allows
the state, by the end of April 2007, to stimulate the devel-
opment of the steel industry with various interventions.
Tese measures refer to the price of electricity or other
scal alleviations. Te National Program encompasses 6
domestic capacities, Makstil-Duferko, Valavnica za lenti
(Hot Strip Mill), Ladna valavnica (Cold Mill), Nikolfert,
IGM and FZC 11 Oktomvri. Of these the greatest progress
was achieved in Makstil, which is already utilizing EBRD
credit lines aimed at advancing the production process and
reducing production costs.
Te investments that the six companies announced in
the National Strategy for Reconstruction should improve
the present conditions. A total of $35.25 million should be
invested in this industrial branch by 2007. Te upcoming
three years should witness the greatest intensity of investment.
Te goal of the investments is to improve the competitiveness
on the market and produce more ecological products.
Makstil announced investments of $15.2 million, Vala-
vnica za lenti (Hot Strip Mill) $7.7 million, Ladna valavnica
(Cold Mill) $4.8 million, FZC 11 Oktomvri $5 million,
IGM $1.5 million and Nikolfert $1 million.
More than half of Macedonias major
exported products are textile-related. Teir export to the EU
alone earns Macedonia an annual prot of more than $250
million. Te textile industry as an export-oriented branch
exports most of its output to EU business partners. Trade
is regulated by the Agreement on Textile Products between
the Republic of Macedonia and the EU.
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Te Macedonian textiles are mainly exported to Germany,
Greece, the Netherlands, Great Britain, France, Italy, Bel-
gium, and Denmark. Exporting mens and womens shirts
and blouses, jackets, trousers, dresses, skirts, and working
overalls makes the greatest prot. Still, lohn production is
the principal feature of the Macedonian export of textiles,
as classical exports play a minor role.
An important segment in the implementation of the
Agreement on Textile Products between the Republic of
Macedonia and the EU is the origin of the products. In case
a foreign investor brings raw materials to produce the nal
product in Macedonia, he could not receive an origin certi-
cate and export the product duty free to any member of the
European Union. Te limiting factor is due to the fact that
diagonal cumulation of origin does not refer to Macedonia
and the other countries from the western Balkans.
At the regular Councils for Cooperation with the Union,
the issue of including these countries in the system of diagonal
cumulation has been raised on a number of occasions, but
there are still no concrete answers.
Ever since its independence, the
Republic of Macedonia committed itself to developing open
market economy, the principles of which are incorporated
in the bases of its institutional system. Around 90% of
Macedonias overall trade in 2006 was carried out under
the preferential conditions of liberalized trade. Macedonia
concluded 12 free trade agreements, with Slovenia, Croatia,
Serbia and Montenegro, Bulgaria, Turkey, Romania, the
EFTA countries, Ukraine, Albania, Moldova and Bosnia
and Herzegovina, and the Interim Trade Agreement with the
European Union. Tus Macedonia is the rst to fulll the
obligations arising from the Stability Pact and has emerged
as a leader with the establishment of a network of free trade
agreements in South-eastern Europe.
Te fact that 85 % of the Macedonian export is targeted
at duty-free foreign markets shows that the preferential
treatment of certain goods is of major signicance to the
position of the Macedonian export. Free trade agreements
provide entrepreneurs, who decided to invest in Macedonian
production, with a duty-free market for their products,
Electrodes of the furnaces of Makstil the largest producer of steel in Macedonia.
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which is among the largest in Europe with more than 500
million consumers. Macedonia is the leading country in the
region by the number of concluded free trade agreements.
Once the new CEFTA agreement, which should be ratied
in the course of 2007, comes into force, all the separate
trade agreements will blend into one. Te prime feature of
Macedonias external trade policy is building of open trade
relations in the international economy. Te process of trade
liberalization with the countries deemed as Macedonias
greatest trade partners is of special importance. In this
regard, with the extant legal frame, the area of foreign invest-
ments is fully liberalized too. Property, rights to property,
and free capital transfer and prots are all guaranteed to
foreign investors. Te fact that the imports from countries
with which free trade agreements were signed account for
75% of Macedonias total imports reveals that Macedonian
businessmen supply the major portion of the necessary raw
materials, intermediate goods and energy under preferential
conditions of customs exemption or minor customs taris.
Tis also points to the relevance these agreements have
for the competitiveness of the Macedonian products on
foreign markets.
Almost every year, Macedonian inventors
return from the world exhibition of innovations, research
and new technologies, Brussels Eureka, with a wealth of
gold and silver medals. A few years ago, the Macedonian
delegation returned form Eureka with the rst award, the
Grand Prix. Te international jury gave this award to Vanco
Dimtrov for the invention System for Absorption of Exhaust
Gases. At the 50th Brussels Eureka 2001 World Exhibition,
2 inventions of the team of inventors, employees or associates
in Prileps Mikrosam, were presented with a gold medal and
3 special prizes. For his results and achievements, the owner
of Mikrosam, professor Blagoj Samakoski, was awarded the
o cial Belgium decoration for invention and the title Knight
of Invention. Te Macedonian State O ce of Industrial
Property presents the annual Patent of the Year Award.
World renowned Macedonian construction companies, carving out the face of a
mountain to make room for progress: Construction of access road towards the new
cascade hydro power plant St. Petka (Matka 2) an investment of US$ 60 million.
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Te consumption of energy in the Republic of Macedonia
totals about 120,000 TJ a year. Home production of energy
covers about 60% of the consumption, while the remaining
40% are provided from imports. Macedonias basic energy
infrastructure includes the system of electric power, coal
mines, gas pipeline, oil renery, oil pipeline, and thermal
and geothermal systems.
Having in mind that electricity accounts for 60% of the
total consumption of energy in Macedonia, the existence
and operability of the overall Electric Energy System (EES)
in Macedonia is of an enormous and strategic importance.
Te total power of EES installed in Macedonia is 1,524 MW,
1,010.0 MW (69.95%) of which are steam power plants, and
514 MW (30.5%) are hydro electric power plants. Te largest
plant, and the hub of the whole EES, is the Bitola power plant,
REK Bitola, where 675 MW power is installed in 3 thermo
blocks. Tis coal-driven electricity production plant, along
with another power-producing facility, TEC Oslomej, covers
around 80% of Macedonias home production of power. Te
rest is covered by the thermoelectric power station Negotino
(the second largest plant according to the power installed),
and the hydroelectric power stations Vrutok, Raven, and
Vrben within the Mavrovo Electrical Energy System, and
Spilje, Globocica and Tikves.
Macedonia does not have oil and gas deposits. Te whole
amount of crude oil and gas is imported. Oil is transported
from Tessaloniki (Greece) to the renery near Skopje, while
gas is transported through the 98 km-long pipeline from the
countrys border with Bulgaria to Skopje. Macedonias only
oil renery, OKTA, was privatized to the Greek company
Hellenic Petroleum in 1999. At the end of 1999, the project
for construction of the 210km-long Tessaloniki-Skopje
oil pipeline got underway. Te pipeline cost a total of $110
million, $60 million of which was provided by Hellenic
Petroleum. Te remaining $50 million was a loan from the
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Te
Macedonian government owns 20% of the pipeline, while
Hellenic Petroleum holds an 80% stake. Te oil pipeline was
put into use in June 2002, and is supposed to be extended
to Kosovo. In December 2002 the OKTA renery lost its
POWER AND ENERGY
About sixty power stations will be built in the rst stage and over a hundred concessions will be issued
for building small hydroelectric power stations on the rivers Vardar, Strumica and Crn Drim.
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monopoly and all the privileges it had at the Macedonian
market of oil and oil derivatives in the last three years. Tis
primarily refers to the privilege OKTA had in importing oil
derivatives. Macedonias largest distributor of oil derivatives
and gas is Makpetrol, a private joint stock company holding
114 petrol stations and 12 depots of oil products.
Macedonia has hydro-potential of 5.5 GWh. Te utiliza-
tion of its water resources amounts to only 19%. As far as
the geothermal water is concerned, Macedonia has a total
heating power of 173 megawatts, total power of 1,400 liters
per second, and available exploited reserves of 1,000 liters
per second. Apart from the hydro-potential, the natural
resources of energy are limited to lignite. Macedonia has
940 millions tons of lignite, while its largest mines are part
of the thermoelectric power stations, and their coal is used for
production of electricity (about 7 million tons a year). At the
moment, ve district systems for heating, working on crude
oil, natural gas and lignite, are in use and their capacity totals
600 MW. Approximately 50,000 households are connected
to these heating systems.
Until 2005 Macedonias whole power system was verti-
cally integrated. Te countrys electric power company ESM
(Elektrostopanstvo na Makedonija) was state-owned and fully
responsible for generation, transmission, distribution, import
and transit of electricity, as well as for system stability mainte-
nance. ESM was constantly troubled by nancial di culties
and in 2003 its outstanding receivables totaled US$200 million,
almost 80 % of which were liabilities of industrial consumers.
In 2004 the Government adopted an ambitious plan for its
privatization and restructuring and in 2005 it was divided into
a company for transmission (MEPSO) and a company for
production and distribution (ESM), which later split up into
separate companies for production and distribution. At the
moment there are four companies having emerged from the
former power utility ESM: the power distribution company
AD ESM, which owns 11 mini and small power stations, the
largest power-producing company ELEM, the thermoelectric
power station TEC Negotino as a separate company, and the
power transmission system operator MEPSO.
In March 2006 ESM Distribution was sold to EVN of
Austria for 225 million euros, while ELEMs privatization
was postponed until after the parliamentary elections of
2006. ESMs division is considered crucial for the sector
liberalization and resolution of the local energy problems.
In May 2006 the Parliament adopted the new Energy Law
harmonized with the EU legislation.
Gas Pipeline. One of the greatest energy facilities in
the Republic of Macedonia is the gas pipeline, the goal of
which is stepping up security in the provision of electricity
and introducing an ecologically more acceptable high-grade
fuel. Te gas pipeline has an installed annual capacity of
800 million cubic meters of natural gas and is made up of 2
technological entities: a major pipeline and city gas pipeline
networks. Since it came into use in 1997 until now, a major
pipeline has been constructed with a total length of 98 km
(from the Deve Bair border crossing at the Macedonia-
Bulgaria border to Skopje) with maximum permeability of
145,000 cubic meters of gas. Te network connecting the
major pipeline to the city networks is 25.3 km long, and
the city networks total 37.3 km. Te city gas pipeline in
Skopje is 19 km long and around 12 more km remain to
be constructed. Tis will put an end to the rst stage of the
construction of the gas pipeline in Skopje and as a result all
major industrial facilities will become gas-supplied. Makstil,
FZC Kumanovo, OHIS, the cement-producing industry
USJE, the Skopje brewery Skopska Pivara, the leather facil-
ity Godel , Zitoluks, Evropa, the Skopje heating company
Toplikacija, TIPO Idnina, etc., have so far been connected
to the system and are using natural gas.
Development plans envisaged natural gas supply for house-
holds in Skopje. At the end of May 2007 the construction of
the rst gas power station in Skopje went underway. Apart
from AD Toplikacija, Sintez of Russia is also involved in
the project of US$140 million. Te station will consume
250260 million m3 of natural gas, producing heating energy
and electricity.
Te consumption of natural gas in 2006 was estimated at
around 100 million cubic meters. Tis rate of consumption
is not enough and represents 15% of the available capacity
of the gas pipeline system. Despite all eorts to raise the
natural gas consumption, thus nally making this investment
worthwhile, at the moment this is impossible because the
ownership status of the gas pipeline is unresolved. Sixty-ve
million dollars has so far been spent on the construction of
the gas pipeline, 43% of which is state funded, $16 million is
a Russian credit, and the rest has been provided by Makpet-
rol. In 1997, the government of the Republic of Macedonia
reached an interim decision to put Makpetrol in control of
the gas pipeline. Tis company also took on the responsibility
to repay the Russian credit.
However, the unresolved issue of the ownership of the gas
pipeline has hindered its development. Te dispute over the
ownership rights has been going on for 10 years. Two account-
ing reports were prepared in 2003 aimed at determining the
share of the Government and Makpetrol.
Te independent report of the documentation indicated
that 51.94% of the gas pipeline was owned by the state.
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Te transport sector plays an important role in the Macedo-
nian economy primarily owing to the good tra c position of
the Republic of Macedonia. Road transport constitutes the
greatest portion of the countrys overall transport of goods and
passengers. At the moment the countrys overall road network
totals 8,216 km, 915 km of which are national roads (Source:
NDP 2007 2009), and over 200 km are motorways.
Te spine of Macedonias road network is the two Pan-Eu-
ropean Corridors. Te E-75 road along the main north-south
Corridor 10 (from Tabanovce at the border with Serbia to
Bogorodica at the border with Greece) is 172 km long. Te
branch Xd (from Veles to the Medzitlija border crossing with
Greece via Prilep and Bitola) is 127 km long. Seventy percent
of Corridor 10 is a highway, and plans are to modernize the
remaining 29.1% by highway standards too. Te Pan-Euro-
pean Corridor 8 East-West E-65 road (from Kjafasan at the
border with Albania to Deve Bair at the border with Bulgaria
via Skopje) is 304 km long. It is in its initial stages of modern-
ization to a highway. Only 27.6% is a modern highway, 8%
is under construction, while construction projects are being
developed for 63% of it.
Te railway infrastructure follows the two Pan-European
Corridors 8 and 10. Te railway line along Corridor 10 is
217 km long, is of standard size, has been electried and
has a modern communication and signaling system. Te
total length of the railway line that will follow Corridor 8 in
Macedonia will be 339 km, 57% is nished and operational.
At the moment the country has no railway links to Bulgaria
and Albania.
International air tra c is carried out at two airports in
Macedonia, in Skopje and Ohrid. Te airport in Skopje has
installed state of the art technology, but its current tra c is
modest with about 500,000 passengers a year. Te Govern-
ment has launched reform programs for airport privatisation
and capacity upgrading.
Corridor 8 and Corridor 10 are in the list of European
tra c priorities, and this sector receives signicant support
from international nancial institutions, which only conrms
the interest of the foreign capital in this sector. Serious con-
sideration is also being given to the implementation of other
models of nancing like public-private partnerships, conces-
sion management and management contracts.
In the Macedonian Public Investment Program for the
2003-2005 period, which amounted to 1,825.64 million
Euro, 1,061.61 million Euro was allocated to the transport
sector.
Macedonia is attributed additional signicance in this
eld thanks to the Skopje-Tessaloniki oil pipeline, likely
to be extended towards Kosovo, and thanks to the possible
realization of the AMBO project for building an oil pipeline
from Burgas, Bulgaria, to Vlora, Albania. In some of the more
far-reaching projections, Macedonia should become connected
to the Croatian oil pipeline and the Adriatic highway.
Te primary strategy of the Ministry of Transport and
Communications is to implement institutional reforms in
this sector. Reforms in the road sector are being carried out
through loans from the EBRD. In the Ministrys study, the
primary goals focus, among other things, on an analysis of
road infrastructure nancing and recommendations to improve
competition in road maintenance.
Railway reforms are being implemented through a loan
from the World Bank, and according to the Action Plan the
existing state-owned Macedonian Railway Company should
be divided into two parts, one taking over the infrastruc-
ture and remaining state-owned and the other taking over
transportation services and being transformed into a private
shareholding company.
In the eld of telecommunications, a specic part of the
transport sector, the Republic of Macedonia is one of the
leading countries in the region. Tis is made possible by the
nished process of privatization of the Macedonian telecom,
the introduction of concessions, as well as the investments
in the sector, which creates new prospects for domestic and
foreign investments.
TRANSPORTATION
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With a share of about 12% of GDP and engagement of 20%
of the total economically active population in 2004, agriculture
is a signicant segment of Macedonias economy. Great invest-
ment potentials lie within it, particularly bearing in mind the
advantages of Macedonia as a relatively clean environment.
Over 80% of the arable land (close to 463,000 hectares) in
2004 was property of or was rented out to family rms. Te
remainder of the land was farmed by about 136 agricultural
privatized companies. Most of the pastures were state-owned
and managed by public enterprises.
In early June 2007 the Government took an agricultural
census, the rst in thirty-eight years, given that the previous
was taken back in 1969.
However, the agricultural activity over the past two years
had smaller growth rates, which reduced the sectors share
of GDP. According to agricultural production estimates for
2006, production of fruit and cattle went up by 3.7% and
1.5% respectively, while production of grain and cash crops
and production of grapes declined by 1.7% and 2.7% respec-
tively from 2005. As for the export performance of the sector
in 2006, fruit exports increased by 45%, vegetable exports
by 9%, tobacco exports by 8.2%, and exports of seeds and
other cash crops by 34%. On the other hand, exports of grain
dropped by 21% and of cotton by 1.5%.
In the total territory of the Republic of Macedonia, ag-
ricultural area accounts for 49%, or 1.27 million hectares,
including about 700,000 hectare of pastures. Most of the
arable land, or 461,000 hectares (82%), is used for raising
grain and vegetables, 26,000 hectares (5%) for growing vine,
15,000 hectares (3%) are hothouses and the remaining 58,000
hectares (10%) are meadows. Grain covered most of the arable
land in 2004 (around 190,000 hectares), which was a 14%
decline from 2003. On average, the yields of the Macedonian
farming products are not very high, except for those of the
grapes, peaches, tomatoes and plums. In 2004 agricultural
produces constituted 15.9% of Macedonias total exports and
14.4% of the countrys imports. Te main export potentials
are vegetables and vegetable products, fruit and fruit products,
lamb, wine, and tobacco, as a result of which their produc-
tion has priority in the development of the agricultural and
industrial sector. Te Republic of Macedonia is a net importer
of grain, sugar, oil, milk, meat and exotic fruits.
Te vegetable crops are located in
the northern and southern part of Macedonia, taking up
about 53,000 hectares in 2004, 6% more than in 2003, and
covering additional 10,500 hectares at intervals. Around 300
hectares are hothouses tted with heating systems, which allows
Macedonia to oer fresh vegetables at the market throughout
the year. Macedonia is a net exporter of vegetables and has a
production surplus of 60%. Exports are dominated by ve
main produces tomato, pepper, cabbage, watermelon and
cucumber and their chief destinations are the markets of the
EU (the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Greece, Germany
and Slovenia), as well as the neighboring countries (mostly
from former Yugoslavia). Half of the total annual produc-
tion of about 600,000 tons of vegetables is being exported,
mainly to the neighboring countries. Orchards took up
15.000 hectares in 2004 and half of them were apple trees.
Te annual crop is estimated at 130,000 to 150,000 tons of
fruit. Macedonia also produces plums, sour cherries, apricots,
etc., and annually exports up to 30,000 tons of fruit, mainly
to the neighboring countries.
Te most present products in the processing industry are the
mashed tomato concentrate, ajvar (red pepper salad), ketchup,
preserved sour cherries, fruit juices, and apple concentrate,
which are generally exported to the countries of the European
Union. Herbs and wild mushrooms are an important part of
Macedonias exports.
In Macedonia there are three wine regions and sixteen
wine areas, while 85% of the Macedonian wine is produced
in the Vardar Valley. Te vineyards in Macedonia take up an
area of about 26,000 hectares, and annual production var-
ies from 220,000 to 250,000 tons of grapes a year. Almost
90% of the output is wine grapes, most of them being red
wine sorts like Merlot, Cabernet
Sauvignon, Red Burgundy, Sta-
nusina, Prokupec and Kavadarka,
and white wine sorts, such as
Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Rhine
Riesling, Smederevka, Rkaciteli,
etc. Macedonias ne wine mak-
ing tradition reaches back in his-
tory to the days before Alexander
AGRICULTURE
Table: Production of some agricultural products in 000 tons
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Wheat 299.3 246.2 266.9 225.3 356.8 333.9 329.4
Maize 125.3 117.1 140.7 136.5 141.9 148.2 147.3
Sugar beet 56.4 38.3 43.8 40.2 47.2 57.8 44.0
Sunower 7.4 5.5 8.8 6.8 7.8 6.7 6.0
Tobacco 22.1 23.2 22.9 24.0 21.6 27.7 25.1
Grapes 264.2 229.8 118.9 243.8 254.6 265.7 258.6
Source: State Statistical O ce
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the Great. However, more recently Macedonia has produced
wines that sold in bulk at low cost, largely to Germany. In
keeping with the overarching goal to move up the value chain
by selling higher value-added products to more demanding
customers, USAIDs Macedonia Competitiveness Activity
(MCA) project support to Macedonias wine industry has
focused on quality and marketing improvements to facilitate
increased sales of the countrys high-end specialty wines in
Europe. In only two years, since its formation in April 2004,
cluster members launched new varieties and become better
able to compete with other regional and international wines.
Te average price of bottled wine increased by 40 percent since
2003. Macedonian wineries invested $9 million in new facilities
and equipment since 2003, an annual increase of 350 percent.
Industry bottled wine exports of $8.7 million in 2005, a 20
percent increase over the 2003 base year export gure.
Great eorts are also made on the other markets worldwide,
such as Japan, the US, Canada, and Australia.
Te inow of foreign exchange totaled $36.1 million in
2005, with good prospects of increasing to over $40 million.
Macedonia is a net exporter of lamb. Lamb meat
accounts for 90% of the whole export of lamb products. Te
main export destinations are Italy, Greece, Croatia, Slovenia
and Jordan. In 2003 Macedonia exported a total of 2,570
tons of lamb, which was 12% less than in 2002. In order to
boost lamb production, it is suggested that the Macedonian
Government should make sure that larger quantities of lamb
are exported throughout the year, and not just during the
Easter holidays.

Macedonian-grown tobacco is recognized to be of
high quality. Tobacco made up more than two-thirds, or 18,490
hectares, from a total of 27,000 hectares of cash crops in 2005.
It is traditionally one of the most important cash crops, engag-
ing a considerable portion of the rural population. Four large
tobacco industries operete in Prilep, Skopje, Kumanovo and
Strumica, and there are over 40 processing stations. Tobacco is
also the most important exported farming product constituting
24%, or 26.9% including tobacco products, of Macedonias
total exports in 2004. However, over the past few years, land
sown with tobacco has been steadily declining. Raw tobacco
output in 2005 totaled 27,691 tons.
Te most frequently planted tobacco brands are Prilep
(49.9%), Jaka (32.1%), Jebel (4.76%), Otlja (5.61%), Virginia
(7.27%), and Burley (0.40%). In regard to the types, the
share of the oriental types is the largest (86.72%), followed by
the semi-oriental (5.61%), and the large-leaf types (7.67%).
Macedonia generated over $102 million of revenues from the
export of tobacco and cigarettes in 2005.
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After a decade and a half Macedonias privatization process
is completed in more than 95% of the state-owned enter-
prises. By the end of 2005, the process nished in almost
1,700 enterprises from the whole portfolio of the former
Privatization Agency, which included approximately 1,750
enterprises.
Te law on transformation of state-owned companies
applied to around 1,200 companies of the commercial sec-
tor. Agriculture companies started going private in 1996
(around 35), games of chance and insurance companies in
1997, and veterinary cooperatives in 1998. According to
certain estimates of the Privatization Agency, the total value
of the state-owned capital that was privatized in the past 15
years amounts to 2.3 billion euros. Trough the privatization
of 1,687 companies, the Government collected 500600
million euros. Te privatization process is yet to be carried
out in 50 companies.
At the start of the privatization process, the Government
only sold companies without transforming them rst. Te rst
privatizing and restructuring program, which encompassed
25 major loss-making companies, went underway in 1995.
Te Government then met the obligations set in the FESAL
2 arrangement with the World Bank by solving the status of
over 40 loss-makers, while the last restructuring program is
currently in progress. Te Privatization Agency completed
its mission and was dismantled in 2005.
Te Macedonian Government is now engaged in a nal
process of public sector privatization through management
concessions. Te privatization of the public utilities was
initiated with the privatization of the Macedonian telecom
to the Hungarian telecommunications company MATAV
in 2000. Te state kept 47 percent of the companys capital
stock, 10 percent of which were sold in the rst half of 2006,
while the rest are in a process of disposal.
Te nancial sector was likewise subject to a special priva-
tization program, while some banks went through a process
of massive rehabilitation. Many of the banks found foreign
investors that invested either independently or together with
the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
and the International Financial Corporation, which proved
good for the entrance of foreign capital. Te Government
has already started selling its remaining shares in commercial
banks except for the Postal Service Bank (Postenska banka)
and the Macedonian Bank for Development Promotion.
In March 2006, the power distribution segment of the
Macedonian power utility ESM (Elektrostopanstvo na
Makedonija) was sold to EVN of Austria. Te Macedonian
Railway Company is yet to be privatized and according to
its privatization program, it should split into two parts, one
for transport and the other for infrastructure.
Privatization began in the social sector and the public
administration too. Some of the non-core activities in the
PRIVATIZATION
Perspectives and Projections
Table: Privatization - Status report as of December 31, 2003
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sectors of health, education, and administration were divested
and placed under the management of private rms.
Privatization dates back to 1989 when the law on state-
owned capital was passed (known as the law of Ante Markovic,
the then prime minister of Yugoslavia), which introduced
the concept of internal shares. Employees in state-owned
companies were thus entitled to acquiring shares by putting
aside funds from their salaries. As a result, 660 companies
were transformed into joint stock or limited liability com-
panies. Te new concept of privatization, promoted after
independence, with the adoption of the law on transforma-
tion of state-owned companies, in June 1993, considerably
intensied the privatization process in Macedonia.
Te privatization process in Macedonia created strategic
shareholders in the major companies, thus helping locate
the responsibility for the future corporate management.
Privatization through management buy-out could meet the
two basic criteria to pay for the shares and to identify the
owner. A weakness of the paid privatization, experts say, was
giving preference to domestic managers against interested
foreign investors. Still, this type of privatization took place
only in the initial stage of the process of transforming state-
owned capital, while in the subsequent stages, domestic
management teams took interest in negotiating with foreign
investors, rather than let the state, which proved a bad owner,
do that on their behalf.
Figure: Equity in privatized companies by model, in million EUR
(31.12.2003)
Figure: Number of privatized companies by model of privatization
(31.12.2003)
Figure: Employees in privatized companies by model (31.12.2003)
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Te most signifcant foreign investments in the
Republic of Macedonia are the ones in:
- Macedoniantelecom(MATAV,Hungary)
- StopanskabankaADSkopje(NationalBankofGreece,
EBRDandIFC)
- SkopskaPivara(BalkanbrewHoldingLTD,Greece)
- RefneryOKTA(HellenicPetroleum,Greece)
- CementarnicaUsje(Titan,Holderbankfnanciere
Glaris,Greece)
- ADORMakedonija(QBEInter.InsuranceLTD,England)
- Makstil(DuferkoSkop.InvestmentInc.,Liechtenstein)
- LadnavalavnicaAD(BalkanSteel,Liechtenstein),
- TutunskikombinatADSkopje(TobacnaLjubljana,Slovenia)
- FENI-Kavadarci(SCMM,France)
- Radika-Debar(KNAUF,Austria)
- ZitoLuksADSkopje(ElbiskoSAAtika,Greece)
- SkopjeFair(ERA-Velenje,Slovenia)
- MermerenKombinatADPrilep(FHLKiriakidisSA,Greece)
Fosteringinvestmentsisparticularlyimportantforthe
realizationofthetransitionprocessandforthetransformation
oftheRepublicofMacedoniafromatransitioncountryinto
amoderneconomy.OneoftheMacedonianGovernments
prioritiesisincreasingthecountrysforeigndirectinvestment
(FDI).Inordertoattainthisgoal,theGovernmentestablished
theAgencyforForeignInvestments(InvestMacedonia)in
January2005topromoteMacedoniaasanattractivebusiness
destination.Tisstate-fundedAgency,amongotherthings,
recommends policies aimed at attracting and supporting
foreign investors in realizing their intended investments.
TeAgencyisaone-stopshopwhereinvestorsmayobtain
all necessary information. Attracting foreign investments
isalsotheprimaryobjectiveofthetwoMinisterswithout
PortfoliointheGovernmentoftheRepublicofMacedonia,
GligorTashkovichandVeleSamak.
Statisticsfromthefrstyearsofindependencedemonstrate
thatin1993FDIinMacedoniawasthelowest($0.8million),
asopposedtotheamountof$15.1millionin1990.After
1993,FDIstartedclimbingupagain,peakingat81million
in2003.In2004itamountedto$140millionandwent
further up to $116 million in 2005 and $350 million in
2006. FDI accounted for about 2.1% of GDP in 2006,
whichisnotsufcientforvigorouseconomicdevelopment.
Tat is why the Government has set itself the target of
bringingmoreFDI.
According to analyses of the investment structure,
the most interesting sectors to foreign investors were
telecommunications, finance and insurance, food and
beverages, and also metals and oil, which absorbed 80%
of the total investments. Investments in industry and
mining accounted for 18%, and those in trade made up
4.8%. Te expert analyses identifed a number of other
attractivesectorswherepotentialforeigninvestmentscould
bedirected.Teyincludefnishedtextilegoods,vehicleand
busassembly,fnishedleathergoods,electronicequipment,
shoes,telecommunicationsequipment,packaging,electric
motors, lamb, metal fabrications, fruit and vegetables,
furniture,processedfood,wine,construction,automotive
accessories,andtobaccoandcigarettes.
Macedoniasmajorforeigninvestmentsin2007arethe
constructionofJohnsonControlsfacilityforproductionof
automotiveelectricequipmentattheBunardzikfreeeconomic
zone,JohnsonMattheysanticipatedconstructionofafacility
producing car catalysts also at Bunardzik, the opening
of a new milk company with Swedish capital, Swedmilk
Makedonija,andtheFrenchbrandSocitGnralestakeover
ofOhridskabanka.
FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENTS
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Table: Foreign Direct Investments in the Republic of Macedonia in 2005, by Country Source: State Statistical O ce
C O U N T R Y
No. of business
contracts
Participation
(in %)
Value
(in '000 US$)
Value structure
(in %)
TOTAL 282 100.0 116,168 100
Developed countries 219 77.6 74,767 64.4
EU Countries 174 61.7 55,273 47.6
EFTA Countries 14 5.0 16,691 14.4
Other developed countries 31 11.0 2,803 2.4
Countries from Former Yugoslavia 27 9.6 4,315 3.7
Countries from Central and East. Europe and former Soviet Union 29 10.3 14,794 12.7
Developing countries 7 2.5 22,292 19.2
By countries
Austria 11 3.9 12,026 10.4
Australia 4 1.4 1,094 0.9
Albania 3 1.1 34 0.0
Bosnia and Herzegovina 1 0.4 31 0.0
Bulgaria 20 7.1 7,015 6.0
Germany 24 8.5 3,349 2.9
Greece 82 29.1 13,318 11.5
Virgin Islands,British 1 0.4 7 0.0
Italy 16 5.7 17,091 14.7
Iceland 1 0.4 6 0.0
Canada 2 0.7 13 0.0
China 1 0.4 3 0.0
Cyprus 2 0.7 94 0.1
Korea,Republic of 1 0.4 13 0.0
Liechtenstein 1 0.4 12 0.0
United Kingdom 4 1.4 488 0.4
Panama 1 0.4 481 0.4
Poland 2 0.7 249 0.2
Russian Federation 2 0.7 7,723 6.6
USA 10 3.5 927 0.8
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2 0.7 21,701 18.7
Slovenia 19 6.7 6,694 5.8
Serbia and Montenegro 16 5.7 1,893 1.6
Taiwan 1 0.4 40 0.0
Turkey 13 4.6 722 0.6
Ukraine 1 0.4 7 0.0
Finland 1 0.4 6 0.0
France 4 1.4 23 0.0
Netherlands 9 3.2 1,892 1.6
Croatia 10 3.5 2,391 2.1
Czech Republic 3 1.1 15 0.0
Switzerland 12 4.3 16,673 14.4
Sweden 2 0.7 137 0.1
FENI a ferro-nickel producing plant - once a loss-maker, today an example of a successful FDI.
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In the Program for Stimulation of Investments, adopted by
the Macedonian Government in March 1999 as part of the
strategy for investing in the country, emphasis was put on
forming free economy zones to attract foreign direct invest-
ments. Te establishment of free economic zones (treated
as duty-free zones) is conducive to increased exports and
has a positiveeect on the foreign trade and the balance of
payments. It also ensures transfer of new technologies and
techniques, identication of new production processes and
methods of implementation, which creates conditions for a
more dynamic development of the domestic technologies
and increases competition in the economy. Te largest free
No restrictions for foreign investment regarding the sectors of economic activity
100% foreign ownership of a company allowed
No restrictions for repatriation of prots
Duty exemptions and tax holiday in the rst 3 years of operation of the foreign company
Incentives:
1. Free zones
2. Underdeveloped regions
Prot tax holiday for the rst ve years and permanent tax holiday for specic regions
Duty exemptions for importing equipment and machinery
Free trade agreements, Stabilization and Association Agreement with the EU
Main advantages
Reputation for maintaining political and economic stability even in hard times
Business friendly legal environment, being subject to further adjustments
Possible competitive advantages in several sectors, especially natural resources and human resources based
Relatively good and improving infrastructure
Critical mass of educated and comparatively inexpensive labor force
Human resources, especially technical
Entrepreneurial spirit of population
An existing diversied industrial base
Possible hub for some businesses in the Balkan area
Attractive environment:
Sustainable development
Open for cooperation with all countries
Abundant investment opportunities
National treatment for domestic and foreign investors
Continuity in structural reforms
Simulative tax and other legal relieves and exemptions (the prot tax of 12% is the lowest in the region)
Foreign investors can import machinery and equipment duty free, provided they are not locally produced
More inducements are foreseen under the Law on Economic Zones
Intellectual and industrial property legislation is well developed
Competition rules ensure fair conditions for business operations
Work permits liberally issued to foreign citizens

HOSPITABLE FDI ENVIRONMENT

FREE ECONOMIC ZONES
Johnson Matthey
15 Ha
Johnson
Controls
5.4 Ha
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Te basic premise of the Law on Concessions is the pro-
tection of goods of general interest, rational exploita-
tion of natural resources and protection of public interest
in public services without disrupting the economic and
commercial interests of the concessionaire. Transparency,
non-discrimination, and competitiveness are the basic
poles on which the procedure for giving concessions rests.
Te procedure has been regulated under the most modern
principles of the World Bank and UNIDO, which can be
seen particularly in tender procedures . In the regulation
of the issues connected with public issues and services, the
EU directives play the main role. Tis is not applied in the
existing state-owned companies until they are restructured
and privatized, or unless otherwise envisaged by some other
law. Te adoption of the Law on Concessions, the Law
on Construction Land, and the Law on Mineral Wealth
provides opportunity for foreign investments, especially
through guaranteed right of ownership of construction
land and legal protection of ownership. Under the Law on
Agricultural Land, the Government of Macedonia can give
concessions of state-owned agricultural land to domestic and
foreign legal entities and individuals. Te long-term lease can
range from 5 to 40 years, whereas the short-term is up to 5
years. As stipulated in the Law on Forests, concessions can
be issued for use of game on hunting grounds to domestic
and foreign legal entities and hunting clubs (benefciaries
of hunting grounds game). Under the Law on Water, water
can be given for use by concession for a defnite period of
time to domestic and foreign legal entities and individuals,
for certain business activities.
ConCessions
intention to build a factory in Bunardzik in March 2007.
Other recommended locations are Rzanicino and Kamnik
in Skopje, Prdejci in Gevgelija and Novo Lagovo in Prilep
and the Customs terminal in Bitola.
Te monetary advantages of making investments in free
economic zones include VAT and excise exemption, income
tax and property tax exemption for 10 years, no customs
duties for goods, equipment and machinery, no municipal
fees for construction land, water supply, sewerage, heating,
gas and electricity, and 50% personal income tax reduction
for a period of 5 years. In addition, the long-term lease may
be extended for another 25 years at low prices.
economic zone Bunardzik (near the Skopje Airport) is located
on 159 hectares of land divided into small, medium and
large construction parcels. Investors in Bunardzik are exempt
from paying taxes, various contributions and municipal fees.
At the same time the Government undertook to construct
the whole infrastructure for the zone while all the other con-
struction works inside the zone are at the investors expense.
Anything can be produced in the zone except textile. Te
American automotive interior producer, Johnson Controls,
has recently launched its frst signifcant investment in the
zone, while the English producer of autocatalysts and pol-
lution control systems, Johnson Matthey, announced its
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Te membership of the European Union is the highest
strategic interest and priority of the Republic of Macedonia.
It is the countrys ultimate goal, widely viewed upon as a
conrmation of its European identity, undeniable belonging
and contribution to the European civilization and culture,
identication with the European values and ideas, and an
open European perspective.
Te European Council decided to grant the Republic
of Macedonia a candidate country status for membership
of the EU on 17 December 2005. Te Heads of State and
Government of the EU member states thus recognised the
progress that Macedonia had made in meeting the Copen-
hagen criteria.
In the Report of the European Commission of 9 No-
vember 2005, the Union principally spoke in favor of the
progress that the Republic of Macedonia had accomplished
in the implementation of the Stabilisation and Association
Agreement (SAA) and the rst European partnership signed
with the Union.
Together with the reception of the candidate country
status, the Republic of Macedonia established its second
European partnership, which lists short-term and mid-
term priorities for the country in its preparation for further
integration with the EU. Te European Partnership Action
Plan and the National Programme for Adoption of the
Acquis (NPAA) are strategic documents having resulted
from the European partnership and dening the process of
Macedonias EU integration.
In adherence with the recently negotiated financial
framework of the EU for the period between 2007 and
2013, the pre-accession assistance will be channeled to the
candidate countries through the Instrument for Pre-Acces-
sion Assistance (IPA).
The Republic of Macedonia Towards the
Te Republic of Macedonia Towards the EU
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Te Republic of Macedonia presented its application for
membership of the European Union on 22 March 2004.
Te application was a result of a continuous process of rap-
prochement with the European Union since the countrys
independence in 1991.
Te European Union clearly recognised the countries of
the Western Balkans as potential candidates for membership
of the European Union at the Feira European Council in
2000 and rea rmed the prospect at the Tessaloniki EU
Western Balkans Summit of 2003.
Te transition reforms, which the country has been going
though since its independence, are now closely converging
with its EU accession objective. Aware that di cult conditions
and criteria have to be fullled, the authorities of the Republic
of Macedonia clearly set the goals and on 6 September 2004
the Government of the Republic of Macedonia adopted the
National Strategy for European Integration.
Macedonian Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration
Gabriela Konevska-Trajkovska meets Geo Hoon, Minister for
Europe of the British Foreign O ce, Skopje, November 2006.
A meeting of the Committee for Stabilization and Association
between the Republic of Macedonia and the European Commission.
Lake Ohrid
EU and NATO
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alignment of its policies and institutions with those of the
European Union, including the area of justice and home
aairs. Macedonia has also paid special attention to the
implementation of the Internal Market rules.
Te Interim Agreement on Trade and Trade-Related Mat-
ters, a part of the SAA that entered into force in June 2001,
allows for preferential access of Macedonian products to the
market of the European Union (with the exception of the
sensitive products, mainly agricultural). Te Macedonian
economy has been closely tied to the European market given
that the EU is the main trading partner of the Republic of
Macedonia, constituting 47% of the countrys total trade
(51% of its total exports and around 45% of its total im-
ports). Furthermore, the Macedonian currency, the Denar,
is pegged to the EURO.
As a small land-locked country, the Republic of Mace-
donia is committed to an open economy, establishing good
neighbor relations and intensifying regional cooperation.
It has taken a constructive stance on developing regional
cooperation in both economic and political terms, and has
concluded free trade agreements with all the countries in the
region and beyond. Tus, an enterprise based in Macedonia
has access to a free trade area including the EU, Southeast
Europe, Turkey and Ukraine.
A national system for coordination of the process of
European integration, headed by a Deputy Prime Minis-
ter, was set up in 1998. Since August 2006 Mrs. Gabriela
Konevska-Trajkovska has been ling the post of Deputy
Prime Minister in charge of European Integration. Te
Secretariat for European Aairs serves as a coordination body
in the process of Euro-integration at the central govern-
ment level, while Sectors for the EU have been established
at the level of ministries, and they are complemented by
the foreign aid coordination system, aimed at eective
utilization of the nancial aid, mostly coming from the
EU and its member states. Te main objective is to fully
benet from these programs, especially in the institution
building process. At the parliamentary level a Committee on
European Issues has been established, charged with control
over the executive branch, monitoring of the legislation
approximation process and raising of public awareness of
the Euro-integration process.
Te Republic of Macedonia as an EU candidate country
is looking forward to launching negotiations for membership
of the European Union.
1
Greece opposed the recognition of the country under the constitutional name Republic of Macedonia. A compromise was reached
to enable Macedonias admission in the United Nations Macedonia joined the UN under the provisional reference former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia and talks with Greece under UN mediation were launched still ongoing. However, this solution unblocked
the international recognition of Macedonia. Two thirds of the countries with whom Macedonia has established diplomatic relations
recognise it under its constitutional name.
Te Republic of Macedonia established diplomatic relations
with the European Union in 1995, after the di culties with
its international recognition.
1
Its relations with the European
Union and its member states have continuously and progres-
sively developed since. In 1996 the Republic of Macedonia
became a member of PHARE. In 1996 the country signed
the Cooperation Agreement, which entered into force in
1998. In 1999 the European Union launched the stabiliza-
tion and association process for the countries of the Western
Balkans. Te Republic of Macedonia was the rst country
from the region to sign a Stabilisation and Association Agree-
ment. Te Agreement, which entered into force on 1 April
1 2004, was the rst to be ratied in all EU member states.
Te Stabilisation and Association Agreement denes
not only Macedonias trade relations, but also the gradual
Deputy Prime Ministers Gabriela Konevska-Trajkovska and
Zoran Stavreski on a visit to France.
Macedonian EU Info Center
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NATO CANDIDATE COUNTRY
Te Republic of Macedonia is an aspiring partner country
to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. NATO member-
ship is its top foreign policy priority.
In the closing Declaration of the NATO Riga Summit in
2006, NATO welcomes the eorts of Macedonia, Croatia
and Albania to prepare themselves for the responsibilities
and obligations of membership and rea rms that NATO
remains open to new European members, underlining the
importance of the Membership Action Plan (MAP) as a crucial
stage in preparing countries for NATO membership. Eight
cycles of the Membership Action Plan implementation have
helped transform Macedonia from beneciary of security
investments into a contributor to security in the region.
NATO has also recognized Macedonias increasing con-
tribution to its international peacekeeping and security
operations as well as the countrys eort to improve regional
cooperation, which is an additional encouragement for
Macedonia to carry out the responsibilities and obligations
stated in the Riga Declaration in order to become a NATO
member state.
At the forthcoming NATO Summit in 2008, the Alliance
intends to extend further invitations to those countries that
meet NATOs performance-based standards and are able to
contribute to the Euro-Atlantic security and stability.
Te Republic of Macedonia is working hard to complete
the required reforms and stands a great chance of receiving
the invitation for NATO membership in 2008, thus achiev-
ing its major foreign policy goal, and contributing to lasting
stability in this part of Europe.
23 December 1993 Te Parliament of the Republic of Macedonia adopted a
resolution for accession of the Republic of Macedonia to the North Atlantic
Treaty Organization NATO.
15 November 1995 Te Framework Document for the Partnership for Peace
Program was signed at the NATO Headquarters in Brussels.
22 December 1995 An agreement was signed between Macedonia and NATO for
transit of IFOR forces (for the purpose of their coordination with the UN in
support of the implementation of the Peace Plan for Bosnia-Herzegovina).
30 May 1996 Macedonia signed the Partnership for Peace Status of Forces Agree-
ment (SOFA).
4 June 1996 Te Parliament of the Republic of Macedonia unanimously adopted
the Law on the Ratication of the Partnership for Peace SOFA.
12 June 1996 Te Republic of Macedonia Individual Program under the Partner-
ship for Peace, covering the 1996-1998 period, was mutually accepted at the
formal session of the North Atlantic Council in Brussels.
26 November 1997 Te Mission of the Republic of Macedonia to NATO was
o cially established in Brussels.
1 December 1997 Te Government of the Republic of Macedonia decided to
form a Committee for Euro-Atlantic Integration tasked with coordination
of the activities related to the preparations of the Republic of Macedonia for
membership of the EU and NATO.
8 December 1997 Te Government of the Republic of Macedonia decided to form
a Working Committee for Integration into the Collective Defense Systems.
22 April 1998 Te Parliament of the Republic of Macedonia established the
Committee for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration as a permanent work-
ing body.
24 December 1998 Te Basic Agreement was concluded between the Republic
of Macedonia and NATO for operation of NATO missions in the Republic
of Macedonia.
23 April 1999 At the NATO Summit in Washington, the Republic of Macedonia
o cially became a candidate for membership of the Alliance and started partici-
pating in the NATO Membership Action Plan, designed to help aspiring partner
countries meet NATO standards and prepare for possible future membership.
19 May 2000 Macedonia became one of the founders of the Vilnius Group,
together with Albania, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Latvia, Estonia,
and Lithuania. Croatia joined the Group in 2002.
2 May 2003 Macedonia, Albania, and Croatia, together with the United States,
signed the Partnership Charter (or the Adriatic Charter). Tis initiative, which
was informally labeled the Ohrid-Adriatic initiative, was launched by President
Boris Trajkovski at the fringe of the NATO Summit in Prague.
11 August 2003 NATO took over the command and control over the ISAF mis-
sion in Afghanistan. Macedonias participation in this mission continues under
NATOs ag.
15 January 2005 With the aim of enhancing and coordinating its activities, the
Government of the Republic of Macedonia appointed a National Coordinator
for preparation of the country for NATO membership.
10 September 2006 Te coordination of the activities for Euro-Atlantic integra-
tion of the Republic of Macedonia was raised to the highest level and placed
under the direct auspices of the Prime Minister. A Committee for Accession
of the Republic of Macedonia to NATO was also formed. Te Prime Minister
chairs this Committee, while the Minister of Foreign Aairs and the Minister
of Defense are the Prime Ministers Deputies at the Committee.
NATO missions and operations in the Republic of Macedonia
Operation Essential Harvest
Operation Amber Fox
Operation Allied Harmony
A Meeting of the
Committee for Accession
of the Republic of
Macedonia to NATO.
NATO missions and operations in the Republic of Macedonia
Operation Essential Harvest
Operation Amber Fox
Operation Allied Harmony
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On the Foreign Policy
of the Republic of Macedonia
- origins, main objectives, commitments and achievements -
he foreign policy of the Republic of Macedo-
nia since its independence has been shaped
by the core values and principles, as well as
by the commitment to realizing the countrys strategic
goals full membership of the European and Euro-
Atlantic institutions. Te Republic of Macedonia, as a
comparatively small country, builds its foreign policy
through continuous advancement and promotion of the
relations with its partners, development of good neigh-
bor relations, encouragement of regional cooperation,
and extending support for and taking active part in the
promotion of all multilateral activities aiming to create
a safe, just, prosperous and humane world, respecting
human dignity and rights. Te Republic of Macedonia
backs the European idea and sees its future as an EU
member state. At the same, the Republic of Macedonia
is strongly committed to joining NATO, as an oppor-
tunity for making an active contribution to building
the collective security system. Full integration with the
community of democracies within the European Union
and the Atlantic Alliance is the lasting commitment of
Macedonias foreign policy.
Macedonia in the World
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THE FIRST ILINDEN
Te basic postulates of the foreign policy of the Republic
of Macedonia, primarily its commitment to peace and
cooperation and its aspirations to join the EU and NATO,
are a logical consequence of the overall historical develop-
ment of the Macedonian nation and state. Te principles
of the foreign policy reect also the inner structure of the
society as a functional multiethnic democracy.
Te roots of the Macedonian foreign policy can be
traced back to the period of the struggle for creation
of the nation and a free and independent Macedonian
CHRONOLOGY OF THE MAIN
EVENTS IN THE FOREIGN POLICY
1991
2 December Te President of the Republic of Macedo-
nia, Mr. Kiro Gligorov, sent a letter to the heads of the state
and government all over the world calling for recognition
of the Republic of Macedonia.
19 December The Parliament of the Republic of
Macedonia adopted the Declaration for international
recognition of the Republic of Macedonia as a sovereign
and independent state.
1992
15 January Te Arbitration Commission of the Euro-
pean Community, headed by Mr. Robert Badinter, an-
nounced that Macedonia had fullled conditions necessary
for its recognition. On the same day the Government of
Bulgaria was the rst to recognize the Republic of Mace-
donia as a sovereign and independent state.
1 March Te rst diplomatic mission of the Republic
of Macedonia was opened in Tirana, the Republic of
Albania.
17 March On the occasion of the arrival of Mr. Milan
Kucan, President of the Republic of Slovenia, for the
rst time the Macedonian state ceremonial honors were
promoted.
28 June Te Macedonian Government rejected the
part of the EU Lisbon Declaration (from the previous
day) that refers to its name. On 3 July, the Parliament of
the Republic of Macedonia also rejected this part of the
Declaration.
12 December Upon the request of the Republic of
Macedonia, the UN Security Council adopted the Resolu-
tion for commencement of UNPROFOR mission in the
Republic of Macedonia - the rst preventive mission in
the history of the UN - along the Macedonian-Yugoslav
border.
1993
8 April Te UN General Assembly adopted a decision
to accept the Republic of Macedonia in the UN as its
181st member state.
20 April Te rst extraordinary and plenipotentiary
ambassador of the Republic of Macedonia was accredited
to another country (Slovenia).
17 July Te Republic of Macedonia became a full-edged
member state of the Central European Initiative (CEI).
19 July Te Republic of Macedonia became the 175th
member state of UNESCO.
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Macedonian Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki in front of the
European Parliament Foreign Aairs Committee, Brussels, June 2007.
state. Te uprising against the Ottoman Empire in 1903
helped establish, even if for about ten days alone, the rst
republic in the Balkans the Krusevo Republic named
after the picturesque town of Krusevo, the center of the
uprising. In the course of its ten days of existence, the
Krusevo Republic manifested genuine maturity in the
initial implementation of democracy. Te leadership of
the Republic reected the ethnic diversity and the civic
spirit of this progressive idea for the Region. Come, dear
neighbors! [...] Macedonia is the Homeland of everyone
living on its territory [] regardless of nationality, religion,
origin and gender were the words from the Macedonian
revolutionaries to their compatriots of dierent origins
and traditions which made this democratic revolution to
oer new, humane alternative to the Balkans environment,
before the region and Europe came to the boil from 1912
to 1918. Ilinden 1903 and its short-lived Republic were
avant-garde of modern democracy for those forsaken and
forgotten between Empires and Civilizations. Neverthe-
less, the rights, aspirations and eorts of the people of
this part of Europe, and of the Macedonians in particular,
would be neglected for the competing interests of the
great powers interests that led to the Great War and to
the subsequent perils and catastrophes for the European
democracy for several decades. Te Balkans would be
their specic battleeld.
It had been obvious to the people of Macedonia that
their liberation had to be their own deed; in the expecta-
tion of historical opportunity and preparing for it, those
ideas of the rst Republic on the Balkans, which were
far ahead of the times in 1903, survived in Macedonia
throughout the delicate environment of ever growing
extremism and intolerance in Europe and in the Balkans
until the Second World War. Immediately after the occu-
pation in 1941, the anti-fascist movement of Macedonia,
former Yugoslavia and some of the neighboring countries
began almost instantly with resistance. Tey took decisive
part in the liberation Army in the great anti-fascist war
on the side of the Allies.
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THE SECOND ILINDEN
Te ideas of the rst Ilinden in 1903 had been historically
rea rmed in the Second Ilinden and in the establishment
of the Macedonian Republic in 1944. Te Antifascist As-
sembly of the National Liberation of Macedonia (ASNOM)
consisted of prominent delegates from all ethnicities and
walks of life, progressive citizens respected in society. Te
new Republic was the fulllment of the deepest desires of
the Macedonian people, which were profoundly democratic
in their essence and democratically internationalist in
their expectations. Te nation, taught by its own historical
experience, was ready and eager to live on terms of equality
with others. Tus, the introductory articles of the ASNOM
Resolution, just like the announcements in the First Ilinden,
had been ahead of their time in certain aspects. By that
document, the modern Macedonian Republic would be
founded on civil rights and parliamentarism providing, as
common objective, national and social liberation for all.
With the establishment of the state that was national for
the Macedonians, ASNOM and the Constitution granted
equal rights to the minorities and promoted the human
development of the Macedonian citizens of other ethnici-
ties within the same specic multicultural environment.
So, with the very incipience of the free dissemination
of the Macedonian word, the other ethnicities in the
Macedonian Republic had the constitutional and practical
opportunities to educate and express themselves in their
native languages.
Before the two Ilindens, the history of the people of
the Republic of Macedonia was frequently written and
presented by others, for others, over and without them.
Terefore, the main Macedonian objectives in 1903 and
1944 de facto were the same: to achieve recognition of the
Macedonians and the other ethnic groups as equal among
the Balkan and European peoples; to help the Macedo-
nian Republic take its proper place in the international
society and to secure dignifying conditions for free and
prosperous life for all of the citizens in this part of Europe.
Ilinden 1944, consequently, has always been regarded as
the succession and conclusion of Ilinden 1903.
SINCE THEN
But in the course of the modern history of the Republic
of Macedonia which inevitably depended on specic
Balkan and broader European and global processes, with
21 September Te Republic of Macedonia participated
for the rst time in the work of the UN General Assembly,
at its 48th Session. Te Republic of Macedonia actively
participated in the adoption of the Resolutions for main-
tenance of international security, good neghbour relations,
stability and development in South-Eastern Europe.
12 October Te Republic of Macedonia and the Peoples
Republic of China established diplomatic relations at
ambassadorial level.
6 November Te Republic of Macedonia joined FAO.
3 December The USA opened its liaison office in
Skopje.
16 December Six EU member states, Great Britain,
Germany, France, Italy, Holland and Denmark, established
diplomatic relations with the Republic of Macedonia at
ambassadorial level.
1994
31 January Te Republic of Macedonia and the Russian
Federation established diplomatic relations at ambassado-
rial level.
16 February Greece imposed trade embargo upon
Macedonia.
27 February At the Ministerial Meeting of the EU in
Ioannina, Greece, the Greek trade embargo against Mace-
donia was declared illegal.
1995
31 March Te forces of the UNPROFOR Mission were
replaced by the mission of UNPREDEP.
13 September Te Republic of Macedonia and the USA
established diplomatic relations at ambassadorial level.
12 October Te Republic of Macedonia was admitted
as a full-edged member to the Organization for Security
and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
15 October Te Republic of Greece lifted the embargo
imposed on the Republic of Macedonia.
31 October Macedonia joined the PHARE Program.
9 November Te Republic of Macedonia become of-
cially the 38th member of the Council of Europe.
9 November Te Republic of Macedonia signed the
European Convention on Human Rights and Funda-
mental Freedoms.
15 November Te Republic of Macedonia was admitted
as a member of the Partnership for Peace (PfP).
29 December Te European Union and the Republic
of Macedonia established diplomatic relations at ambas-
sadorial level.
1996
17 January Liaison o ces of the Republic of Macedonia
and the Republic of Greece were opened in Athens and
Skopje, respectively.
23 March Te US Embassy was opened in the Republic
of Macedonia.
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Te Republic of Macedonia is working hard to complete
the required reforms and stands a great chance of receiving
an invitation for NATO membership in 2008.
Photo: Macedonian Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki
meets NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheer.
Te Republic of Macedonia backs the European idea and
sees its future as an EU member state.
Photo: A press conference of Foreign Minister Milososki
and EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn, Brussels,
November 2006.
a strong impact on the following ideological war between
the two competing social systems and being situated as
a part of the peculiar third in between these Ilinden
objectives were only partially achieved during the Mace-
donian participation in the former federal Yugoslavia.
During the 45 years of common life in it, the Macedonian
nation and its institutions were consolidated, together
with those of the compatriots with dierent origins and
traditions.
For the rst time in its existence, this year Macedonian
diplomacy celebrated its day 29 April. Tis date marks
nearly 50 years of continuity in the diplomatic service of
the Republic of Macedonia and its institutional transfor-
mation from Bureau for Foreign Relations to its present
form Ministry of Foreign Aairs.
Te Republic of Macedonia refused to participate
in the emerging war in 1991. Disgusted with the sub-
stitution of politics with violence and stunned at the
atrocities and sheer destruction, the citizens reclaimed the
Macedonian sovereignty in a referendum in September
1991. Te Republic of Macedonia declared independence
and managed to do it in a peaceful way. Tat civilized
manner of trying to resolve the hardest problems, rst
and foremost through dialogue within a political process
that respects the will of the concerned would become a
hallmark of the Republic of Macedonia. Tis manner of
dealing with the situations inside the country and beyond
, atypical for the Balkans, is rooted in the Macedonian
historical experience.
Te end of the 20th century conrmed that the pro-
gressive ideas of the two Ilindens were and still are among
the original principles in the transformations of the
Macedonian society. Consequently, they are the solid
foundation of the Macedonian foreign policy on its way
to the European and Euro-Atlantic integration, as the
ultimate, true realization of these historical aspirations.
EXAMPLE OF FUNCTIONAL
MULTIETHNIC DEMOCRACY
In the years after independence, various cultural tradi-
tions in the country, notwithstanding the obstacles, are
in the complex process of their mutual democratic and
civic improvement. Te eorts for realizing the demo-
cratic gains, with occasional support and assistance of the
international community, are being successful with the
outcomes produced by full implementation of the Ohrid
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Framework Agreement (FA) in the Constitution and in
the legislation, as well as by its unobstructed eectua-
tion, as part of an ongoing political process. As fruit of
political wisdom out of the necessity in the crisis 2001,
the Agreement has shown itself as the most stabilizing
at home and the most promising abroad of all possible
options. Dierent to the Balkans traditions, the Republic
of Macedonia succeeded in extraction and employment
of the substance of the political: converting violence into
productive social relations, and the enmity of uncom-
promising ghters into a structured dialogue and shared
governance and responsibility by the competent actors.
Being the main internal geopolitical determinant, the
implementation of that unique political act is regarded
by the international community as a required precondi-
tion and qualier for the European and Euro-Atlantic
integration of the Republic of Macedonia.
Te story of the FA is perceived as successful and as
a rare fact in this and other parts of the World. Respon-
sible actors willfully claim suitable emulations of the FA
- pattern and process as recommendable approach for the
resolution of interethnic problems in the ever-globalizing
World. On this Macedonian Government adds caveat:
situations in the World are dierent and each one of
them needs a specic approach to the problem. Te
only prerequisite is for the approach to be democratic
and nation- or state-building synergetic with creating
a society of free citizens bound only by the rule of law
based on human rights.
Te implementation of the FA in Macedonia is a re-
markable contribution that cannot be ignored especially
where there are dierent communities and traditions. Te
Macedonian example is encouraging for the unavoidable
communication that has to be established between dif-
ferent cultures bound to live together in the World. Tis
example is built upon the centuries-long living together
of the Macedonian ethnic community with other ethnic
communities in the territory of the present Republic of
Macedonia and the intertwining of civilization inu-
ences taking place in the country that instead of taking
away the authenticity of the original cultures, adds to
their communication. Such an experience is normal in
the Republic of Macedonia. People used to live and still
do with and through a synthesis of dierent cultural
elements, without major clashes together, which makes
its impossible to separate the other, the dierent. Hence,
it was possible to make such a political decision as the
Framework Agreement.
8 April Te Republic of Macedonia and FR Yugoslavia
established diplomatic relations at ambassadorial level.
1997
10 April Te Republic of Macedonia ratied the Eu-
ropean Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental
Freedoms.
1998
1 January Te Cooperation Agreement and Agreement
in the Field of Transport between the EU and the Republic
of Macedonia entered into force.
4 February Te Parliament of the Republic of Mace-
donia adopted the Declaration for development of the
relations between the Republic of Macedonia and the
European Union.
19 March Te rst Resident Envoy of the European
Union to the Republic of Macedonia was nominated.
1999
1 March Te mandate of the UNPREDEP Mission in
the Republic of Macedonia was over.
From March to the end of the year, the Republic of
Macedonia dealt with various eects from the NATO
campaign on Kosovo.
April-July Te Stability Pact for Southeastern Europe
was established and promoted the Republic of Macedonia
was among its founding members.
1 September Te Republic of Macedonia became an
associative member of the International Organization of
La Francophonie.
2000
24 January Te EU Ministerial Council adopted a
decision approving directives for the conclusion of the
Stabilization and Association Agreement between the
Republic of Macedonia and the European Union.
4 February Te Parliament of the Republic of Mace-
donia adopted the Resolution for the relations and role
of the Republic of Macedonia in the Stability Pact for
South East Europe.
12 February Te Republic of Macedonia signed the
Charter for good neighbourly relations, stability, security
and cooperation in Southeastern Europe.
5 April Te rst round of negotiations for the conclusion
of the Stabilization and Association
Agreement between the Republic of Macedonia and the
European Union was held in Brussels.
19 May Te Republic of Macedonia signed the Vilnius
Statement, together with the nine aspirant countries for
NATO membership.
2001
9 April Te Stabilization and Association Agreement
between the Republic of Macedonia and the European
Union was signed in Luxemburg.
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H.E. Dr. Srgjan Kerim, President-elect of the 62
nd
Session of the United Nations General Assembly,
addresses the Assembly, May 2007.
REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA
PRESIDENT OF THE 62
ND
SESSION
OF THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Te inner prole of the country capable of resolving even its gravest problems through agreement and dialogue,
taking into full consideration the interests of all, and through constant promotion of democracy, multiculturalism
and human rights, raises the countrys credibility on a global scale as a responsible and respectable member of the
international community.
Te best, yet not the only example of the high credibility of the Republic of Macedonia in the international com-
munity, is the election of its representative, Dr. Srgjan Kerim, as President of the 62
nd
Session of the General Assembly
of the United Nations. Backed by the Eastern-European Regional Group and elected by acclamation at the General
Assembly of the UN, Dr. Kerim will play a highly responsible role in directing processes at the UN, promoting eective
multiculturalism, and seeking out solutions to global problems. Tis is also a great acknowledgment for the Republic
of Macedonia, its policy and capacity to make a prominent contribution to building global policies.
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EU INTEGRATION
On 17 December 2005, the Republic of Macedonia was
granted the status of an EU candidate member state, thus
entering the critical stage of its EU integration process.
Te European Councils decision to grant the country the
candidate status was a political recognition of the progress
the Republic of Macedonia had made in conducting its
reforms and building an open and a democratic society.
Since the establishment of its diplomatic relations with
the EU in December 1995, the Republic of Macedonia
has grown into a trustworthy partner and true ally of the
European Union, going through all the institutional stages
of the process of coming closer to the Union: from the
Cooperation Agreement, to the Stabilization and Associa-
tion Agreement, to the reception of its candidate status.
Te next stage is receiving a date for starting accession
talks. Te accent in the eorts for full integration with the
EU is put on the quality completion of the reforms and
fulllment of all the other required criteria. To achieve
the European integration, the Republic of Macedonia, as
already a stable and functional European democracy, takes
the last and decisive steps in achieving comprehensive
European standardization of the social, economic and
political life that shall make the country a complete and
mature democracy with a functional market economy which
is socially responsible for the future ow of changes.
Tese transformations have to go along with further
development of the culture of enterprise and hard work
ethics that facilitate a business-friendly environment.
Above all, reforms have to complete the rule of law, and
to safeguard freedom with democratically established
institutions that would act in compliance with the rules
accepted by the citizens and provide the legal and civic
security of the system as a whole and of the citizens as
participants.
Te objective of the Republic of Macedonia is to fully
meet the European standards for functional democracy
and prosperous market economy, capable of taking over
the EU membership responsibilities, by the end of 2010.
Te agenda for Macedonias accession to the EU is re-
ected in the National Program for the Adoption of the
Acquis (legislative modications and short- and mid-
term measures for institutional capacity building), the
Pre-Accession Economic Program (measures for meeting
the Copenhagen economic criteria) and the National
Development Plan (investment priorities to accomplish
the countrys development goals).
11 May Fifty-ve members of the OSCE Permanent
Council adopted the Declaration by which they condemned
the violence and terrorist activities of the Albanian extrem-
ists in the northern parts of the Republic of Macedonia.
27 September Te Government of the Republic of
Macedonia adopted the decision by which it gave consent
for deployment of the NATO Operation Amber Fox on
the territory of the Republic of Macedonia.
2002
25 February Te UN Security Council fully supported
the Agreement on Delineation and Demarcation of the
borderline between the Republic of Macedonia and FR
Yugoslavia (concluded in 2001).
15 December Te new 6-month NATO Mission in the
Republic of Macedonia, Operation Allied Harmony started
(replacing OperationAmber Fox).
In 2002, the Army of the Republic of Macedonia began its
participation in the international mission in Afghanistan
(ISAF) as part of the anti-terrorist coalition.
2003
31 March Te EU Military Operation Concordia re-
placed NATO Operation Allied Harmony.
4 April Te Republic of Macedonia became a full-edged
member of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
2 May Te Ministers of Foreign Aairs of Macedonia,
Croatia and Albania and the State Secretary of the USA
signed the Charter of Partnership the Adriatic Charter
- in Tirana.
22 May Te Republic of Macedonia hosted the Regional
Conference on Border Management and Security .
6 June A contingent of the Army of the Republic of
Macedonia began the rst mission to Iraq.
28 August Te Republic of Macedonia hosted the Re-
gional Forum on Dialogue Among Civilizations.
15 December Te EU Concordia Military Mission was
brought to an end; there were no more foreign missions
in the Republic of Macedonia. Te technical and advisory
mission of the EU police forces Proxima began.
2004
13 February Te Parliament of the Republic of Macedo-
nia adopted the Declaration for submitting application for
membership of Macedonia of the European Union.
22 March Te application of the Republic of Macedonia
for membership of the European Union was handed over
in Dublin.
1 April Te Stabilization and Association Agreement
between the Republic of Macedonia and the European
Union entered into force.
28 June At the NATO Summit in Istanbul, Turkey, the
achievement of the Republic of Macedonia was commended
and its accession to the Alliance was anticipated at the next
NATO Summit.
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Undoubtedly, a complex and even a formidable process
with many challenges lies in front of the country and its
citizens. At the same time, that process is the strongest
motive for getting the best possible results in the further
transformation of the society. Whatever the challenges
in this cardinal endeavor by and for the whole society,
the Republic of Macedonia and its citizens shall succeed
because they are going to make the changes in their society
and within themselves, rst and foremost, for them and
for their own future
NEIGHBORING AND
REGIONAL COOPERATION
Te Republic of Macedonia is decisively commit-
ted to the inauguration of principles of mutual respect
among all nations and states in SEE, this being the most
important criteria for condence building on a bilateral
and regional level. Te relations and cooperation between
the Republic of Macedonia and its immediate neighbors
are characterized by a good neighbor communication
and friendship, as well as willingness for comprehensive
cooperation in a number of areas of shared interest, as
in fact evidenced by the intensive bilateral, regional and
multilateral contacts on all levels, including the highest.
Te fact that the Republic of Macedonia and the countries
of its immediate neighborhood have common strategic
foreign policy goals strengthens their cooperation also as
far as their process of integration with the European and
Euro-Atlantic organizations is concerned, irrespective of
the fact that the extent to which their aspirations have
been realized diers.
Te Republic of Macedonia supports the process of
integration of all the countries of the region with the EU
and NATO, in keeping with their individual achievements,
aware that this is the only way to lasting stability and
prosperity of the region and its full integration with the
European and Trans-Atlantic families of shared values.
Te Republic of Macedonia is involved and remarkably
active in regional initiatives, primarily in the South-East
European Cooperation Process, the Central European
Initiative, and the Stability Pact for South-East Europe,
taking part at the same time in some initiatives belonging
to dierent European regions. Te Republic of Macedonia
at the beginning of 2006 became a member of the Cen-
tral European Free Trade Agreement. Good-neighborly
relations and regional cooperation are some of the basic
International solidarity is necessary in these extremely
important times for Iraq. Te Ministerial Conference on
Iraq, a meeting of U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza
Rice and Macedonian Foreign Minister Antonio
Milososki, Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, May 2007.
Munich Security Conference. Macedonian Foreign
Minister Milososki shakes hands with Russian
President Vladimir Putin and U.S. Secretary of
Defense Robert Gates.
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30 June Te Central European Free Trade Agreement
(CEFTA) accepted the membership application of the
Republic of Macedonia at the Soa Conference.
14 September Te rst Meeting of the Stabilization and
Association Council between the European Union and the
Republic of Macedonia.
2005
17 December Te European Council granted the can-
didate country status to the Republic of Macedonia
2006
September Te National Programme for NATO Mem-
bership was adopted by the Government of the Republic
of Macedonia
17 November- Macedonia hosted a crucial summit on
social aspects of the South East European Energy Com-
munity
23/24 November - Te Republic of Macedonia hosted
the Migration, Asylum and Refugee Regional Center
Initiative MARRI
28/29 November At the NATO Summit in Riga, the
Republic of Macedonia submitted its achievements, hoping
to join the Alliance in 2008
2007
04 June Te Minister of Foreign Aairs presented to
the European Parliaments Committee on Foreign Aairs
in Brussels the Governments achievements in ghting
corruption and organized crime, and implementing
economic reforms
28/29 June Te Republic of Macedonia will host the
II Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) Security
Forum.
criteria on the way to European and Euro-Atlantic inte-
gration. Friendship, cooperation and solidarity are also
the genuine needs of Southeastern Europe. Te Mace-
donian foreign policy promotes the principle of respect
of human and minority rights according to international
standards. Te Republic of Macedonia stands that the
process of accelerated integration of the region in the EU
and NATO will undermine existing threats on national
and regional level.
Te countries from the region in the recent years have
achieved a considerable progress, both on a domestic level
and in developing mutual relations. However, despite the
considerable progress on the level of stabilization and
improved security in the region, all sources of potential
instability have not been eliminated. Te Republic of
Macedonia is a constructive factor in the process of seek-
ing out a solution to Kosovos nal status, harmonizing
its own views with those of its EU and NATO partners
and gives full support to the UN policy.
REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA
IN THE NATO ALLIANCE
Te commitment to NATO membership is clearly
stated in the resolution for accession of the Republic of
Macedonia to NATO that the Macedonian Parliament
adopted on 23 December 1993.
Te Republic of Macedonia expects to be extended an
invitation for NATO membership at the NATO Summit in
Bucharest in 2008. Te Republic of Macedonia is a stable
and reliable partner who is now providing support to both
the Alliance operations in Afghanistan and the US-led
coalition in Iraq. In order to prepare for the European and
Euro-Atlantic integration, there is currently a wide-range
of reform activities being undertaken, covering all areas
of government security, defense, economy, judiciary
and nance. In that demanding work Macedonia has the
invaluable assistance from its NATO partners. Te reforms
in the security and defense sectors are in an advanced
stage and the reform of the public administration is also
underway. Te Republic of Macedonia has demonstrated
that it fully shares the core values of the Alliance It has
also shown readiness and capability to protect these ideals
at home, in Europe and worldwide. Participating in the
peace missions in Afghanistan and, shoulder to shoulder
with some members, in Iraq, the Republic of Macedonia
has established itself as a serious and reliable partner of
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Macedonian Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki
and U.S. Ambassador to NATO Victoria Nuland, May 2007.
the Alliance, having transformed itself from a beneciary
into a contributor of security on a global level.
Te Republic of Macedonia in the process of inte-
gration into NATO has achieved much during the past
year, both individually and collectively under the aegis
of the Adriatic Charter. Te Republic of Macedonia will
continue to consistently and persistently meet all obliga-
tions under the Membership Action Plan; it is already a
leading country in this area with the quality of the Annual
National Program and the Strategic Defense Review. In
sum, the Republic of Macedonia is ready to move from
being a stable and reliable partner to becoming a stable
and reliable member of the Alliance.
Following all the eorts and cumulated aspirations, the
full integration of the Republic of Macedonia within the
community of democracies now stands a real chance of
starting with NATO. Tus, one of the main objectives of
the Macedonian foreign policy is probably to be fullled
soon, making the fundamental commitment, originated
in the previous century, nally achieved.
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Embassy of the Republic of Macedonia
in Tirana, Republic of Albania
Rr. Kavajes, Nr. 116, Tirana
Tel: 355 4 230 909
Embassy of the Republic of Macedonia
in Vienna, Republic of Austria
Maderstrasse 1/10, A- 1040, Vienna
Tel: 431 524 87 56
(also covering Republic of Slovakia,
Czech Republic, Japan)
- Consular Section
Maderstrasse 1/4, 1040 Vienna
Tel: 43 (0) 1 524 87 57
Embassy of the Republic of Macedonia
in Canbera, Republic of Australia
74 Banks Street, Yarralumla,
Canberra, ACT 2600
Tel: 612 6282 6220
Embassy of the Republic of Macedonia
in Brussels, Kingdom of Belgium
Avenue Louise 209A, 1050 Brussels
Tel: 32 2 734 56 87
(also covering Grand Duchy of
Luxembourg)
Embassy of the Republic of Macedonia
in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Splitska 57, Sarajevo
Tel: 387 33 206 004
Embassy of the Republic of Macedonia
in Soa, Republic of Bulgaria
Frederic Joliot-Curie 17
block 2, oor 1, suite 1, Soa 1113
Tel: 359 2 870 15 60
(also covering Republic of Moldova)
- Cultural Center
Oboriste 7, Soa 1113
Tel: 359 2 946 14 92
Embassy of the Republic of Macedonia
in Ottawa, Canada
130 Albert St. Suite 1006 - Ottawa, ON
K1P 5G4, Canada
Tel: 1 613 234 38 82
Embassy of the Republic of Macedonia
in Beijing, People's Republic of China
3-2-21, Sun Li Tun Diplomatic Compound
Post code 100600, Beijing - PR China
Tel: 86 10 6532 7846
(also covering Democratic Peoples
Republic of Korea; Mongolia and
Socialist Republic of Vietnam)
Embassy of the Republic of Macedonia
in Zagreb, Republic of Croatia
Kralja Zvonimira 6/1, 10 000 Zagreb
Tel: 385 1 45 72 812
Embassy of the Republic of Macedonia
in Copenhagen, Kingdom of Denmark
Skindergade 28, A, 1.th. 1159 Copenhagen
Tel: 45 39 76 69 20
Embassy of the Republic of Macedonia
in the Cairo, Arab Republic of Egypt
St. 214, B.6/1, Degla, Maadi, Cairo
Tel: 202 51 72 100
Embassy of the Republic of Macedonia
in Paris, Republic of France
5, rue de la Faisanderie, 75116 Paris
Tel. 331 45 77 10 50
(also covering Portugese Republic and
UNESCO)
Embassy of the Republic of Macedonia
in Berlin, Federal Republic of Germany
Koenigsallee 2, 14193 Berlin
Tel: 49 30 890 69 521
- Consular Department in Berlin
Hubertusalee 5, 14193 Berlin
Tel: 49 30 890 69 511
- Embassy of the Republic of
Macedonia in Berlin,
Department in Bonn, Germany
Straesschensweg 6, 53113 Bonn
Tel: 49 228 92 36 90
- Consular Department in Bonn
Tel: 49 228 23 79 86
Liaison O ce of the Republic of
Macedonia in Athens, Hellenic
Republic
Papadiamanti 4, P. Psychico 154 52 Athens
Tel: 30 210 67 49 585
Embassy of the Republic of Macedonia
in the Holy See (Vatican)
Via di Porta Cavalleggeri, 143
00165 Rome
Tel: 39 06 635 878
Embassy of the Republic of Macedonia
in Budapest, Republic of Hungary
Tapolcsanyi utca 18,
1022 Budapest
Tel: 36 1 33 60 510
Embassy of the Republic of Macedonia
in Rome, Italian Republic
Via Bruxelles 73/75, 00198 Roma
Tel. 39 06 84 24 11 09
(also covering Te Souvereign Military
Order of Malta)
Embassy of the Republic of Macedonia
in Te Hague, Kingdom of the
Netherlands
Laan van Meerdevoort 50 - C
2517 AM Den Haag
Tel. 31 70 427 44 64
(also covering Te Organization for the
Prohibition of Chemical Weapons
OPCW)
Embassy of the Republic of Macedonia
in Warsaw, Republic of Poland
Krlowej Marysieki 40
02-954 Warszawa
Tel. 48 22 651 72 91
(also covering Republic of Latvia;
Republic of Lithuania)
Embassy of the Republic of Macedonia
in Bucharest, Romania
144, Mihail Eminescu, Sector 2,
Bucharest
Tel. 40 1 210 08 80
Embassy of the Republic of Macedonia
in Moscow, Russian Federation
Dmitrija Uljanova 16, corpus 2,
entrance 8, oor 1 - Suite 509&510
117292 Moscow
Tel: 70 95 124 33 57
(also covering Republic of Belarus)
Embassy of the Republic of Macedonia
in Belgrade, Republic of Serbia
Gospodar Jevremova 34
11 000 Belgrade
Tel. 381 11 328 49 24
(also covering State of Israel)
Embassy of the Republic of Macedonia
in Ljubljana, Republic of Slovenia
Preernova Cesta 2,
1000 Ljubljana
Tel: 386 1 421 00 21
Embassy of the Republic of Macedonia
in Madrid, Kingdom of Spain
Calle Don Ramn de la Cruz, 107 2B
28006 Madrid
Tel: 34 91 571 72 98
DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR OFFICES
OF THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA
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Embassy of the Republic of Macedonia
in Stockholm, Kingdom of Sweden
Riddargatan 35, P.O. Box 10128,
100 55 Stockholm
Tel. 46 8 661 18 30
(also covering Kingdom of Norway,
Republic of Finland and Republic of
Estonia)
Embassy of the Republic of Macedonia
in Bern, Swiss Confederation
Kirchenfeldstrasse., 30, CH - 3005 Bern
Tel: 41 31 352 00 02
(also covering Principality of Liechtenstein)
Embassy of the Republic of Macedonia
in Ankara, Republic of Turkey
Filistin sokak 30-2/3
Gaziosman Pasha, Ankara
Tel: 903 12 446 92 04
(also covering Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,
United Arab Emirates, Republic
of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic,
Azerbaijani Republic and Republic of
Uzbekistan)
Embassy of the Republic of Macedonia
in Kiev, Ukraine
Ivan Fedorov 12,
Kiev, 03150
Tel: 380 44 238 66 16
Embassy of the Republic of Macedonia
in London, United Kingdom
Suite 2.1 & 2.2, Bucking Court
75-83 Buckingham Gate
London SW1E 6PE
Tel: 44 207 976 0535
(also covering Republic of Ireland and
Republic of Iceland)
Embassy of the Republic of Macedonia
in Washington, D. C., USA
2129 Wyoming Ave. NW
Washington D.C. 20008
Tel: 1 202 667 0501
Embassy of the Republic of Macedonia
in Doha, State of Qatar
Al-Ithar Street Villa N0.28
Dafna Diplomatic Area
Po BOX: 24262, Doha
Tel: 974 49 31 374
Embassy of the Republic of Macedonia
in Podgorica, Republic of Montenegro
Hercegovacka 49/3
81000 Podgorica
Tel: 381 81 667 415
O ce for Consular, Economic and
Commercial Aairs of the Republic
of Macedonia in Tessaloniki,
Hellenic Republic
Tsimiski 43, Tessaloniki
Tel: 30 2310 277 347
Liaison O ce of the Republic of
Macedonia in Pristina, Kosovo
Str. 24 Maj no.121, Pristina
Tel: 381 38 247 462
Liaison O ce of the Republic of
Macedonia in Tallinn,
Republic of Estonia
Kentmanni 18/48
10116 Tallinn
Tel/fax: 372 644 04 94
Te Old Macedonian Photographs exhibition opened
in the European Parliament in Brussels, December 2006.
At the invitation of the Macedonian Ministry of Foreign Aairs, representatives of the diplomatic community in
Macedonia visit the beautiful Sveto Preobrazenie monastery in Zrze, June 2007.
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Consulates General of the
Republic of Macedonia
Consulate General of the Republic of
Macedonia in Toronto, Canada
90 Eglington Ave. East, Suite 210
Toronto ONT, M4P-2Y3
Tel. 1 416 322 21 96
Consulate General of the Republic of
Macedonia in Istanbul, Republic of
Turkey
Inn Cad. cler apt.20/5
Gmsuyu/Taksim - Istanbul
Tel: 90 212 251 22 33
Consulate General of the Republic of
Macedonia in Detroit, USA
2000 Town Center, Suite 1130
Southeld, MI 48075
Tel. 1 248 354 5537
Permanent Missions of the
Republic of Macedonia
Permanent Mission of the Republic
of Macedonia to the International
Organizations in Vienna,
Republic of Austria
Engelsberggasse 5/7
A - 1030 Vienna
Tel. 431 524 87 02
Permanent Mission of the Republic
of Macedonia to the EU, Brussels,
Kingdom of Belgium
Avenue Louise 209 A , 1050 Brussels
Tel. 32 2 732 91 08
Permanent Mission of the Republic
of Macedonia to the NATO, Brussels,
Kingdom of Belgium
NATO HQ - VA Building,
Blvd. Lopold III, 1110 Brussels
Tel: 32 2 707 27 62
Permanent Mission of the Republic of
Macedonia to the UNESCO in Paris,
Republic of France
5, rue de la Faisanderie, 75116 Paris
Tel. 331 45 77 10 50
Permanent Mission of the Republic of
Macedonia to the Council of Europe in
Strasbourg, Republic of France
13, rue Andr Jung 13,
67000 Strasbourg, France
Tel: 33 388 37 17 00
Permanent Mission of the Republic of
Macedonia to the United Nations Food
and Agricultural Organization (FAO) in
Rome, Italian Republic
Piazza F.M. Lante 53/2-8, Rome
Tel/fax: 39 06 635 878
Permanent Mission of the Republic of
Macedonia to the UN in Geneva,
Swiss Confederation
143, rue de Lausanne, CH - 1202 Geneva
Tel. 41 22 731 29 30
Permanent Mission of the Republic of
Macedonia to the United Nations,
New York, USA
866 United Nations Plaza, Suite 517
New York, N.Y. 10017
Tel. 1 212 308-8504
Te tragically perished President Boris Trajkovski and former
Minister of Foreign Aairs Slobodan Casule in Washington, February 2002.
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THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA - FACTS & FIGURES, June 2007
Publisher: MACEDONIAN INFORMATION CENTRE
Address: Naum Naumovski Borce 73, 1000 Skopje, Republic of Macedonia
Tel./Fax: (+389 2) 311-78-76; 311-78-34, 322-18-42
e-mail: contact@micnews.com.mk mic@mt.net.mk
www.micnews.com.mk