Articles by Ilcho Cvetanoski

North Macedonia at the polls today

15/07/2020 -  Ilcho Cvetanoski Skopje

After the postponement because of COVID19, Macedonian voters are called today to elect the new parliament. Preceded by an election campaign rich in populist rhetoric and bombastic promises, today's consultations feature elements of continuity, but also interesting news

North Macedonia, coronavirus stops elections

19/03/2020 -  Ilcho Cvetanoski Skopje

The coronavirus epidemic has led the Macedonian authorities to postpone the early elections scheduled for April 12th to a later date. Now the priority is citizens' health

"Honeyland" and the relaunch of Macedonian cinema

07/02/2020 -  Ilcho Cvetanoski Skopje

With its nomination for two Oscars, award-winning film "Honeyland" has relaunched the prospects of North Macedonia's cinema in a year of great success. But is the country ready to create a long-term cultural strategy? Our analysis

North Macedonia in the "mini Schengen" looking glass

12/12/2019 -  Ilcho Cvetanoski Skopje

North Macedonia has enthusiastically welcomed the mini-Schengen initiative in the Western Balkans, wanted by Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić. A deeper analysis, however, reveals many doubts and concerns

French "no" to UE negotiations causes early elections in North Macedonia

24/10/2019 -  Ilcho Cvetanoski Skopje

North Macedonia remains at the EU's door again, this time because of France's opposition. Disappointed with the "Macron" vote, Prime Minister Zoran Zaev tries to run for cover by calling for early elections

Ohrid and its lake, a UNESCO heritage in danger

24/09/2019 -  Ilcho Cvetanoski Skopje

Ohrid and its lake represent an exceptional heritage of art, history, architecture, and nature, part of the World Heritage List since 1979. However, due to illegal construction and pollution, it may end up in the list of endangered locations

North Macedonia, Skopje's first Pride

28/06/2019 -  Ilcho Cvetanoski Skopje

Tomorrow Skopje is holding its first Pride, with the support of important institutional representatives. A step forward for the rights of the Northern Macedonia's LGTBI community, in a historically difficult context

“Honeyland”: take half, leave half

04/04/2019 -  Ilcho Cvetanoski Skopje

Hatidze is the last honey hunter from North Macedonia – an ancient trade based on a delicate balance with nature. The "Honeyland" documentary, awarded three times at the Sundance Film Festival, tells her incredible story

(North) Macedonia and the Prespa agreement, success or defeat?

06/02/2019 -  Ilcho Cvetanoski Skopje

Contrasting reactions in (North) Macedonia to the ratification of the Prespa agreement by Greece. The government celebrates a unique opportunity and investment in the future, the opposition laments an unbalanced agreement and loss of identity

(North) Macedonia, the new name comes with hopes and high costs

17/01/2019 -  Ilcho Cvetanoski

Last week, the Skopje parliament gave the green light to changing the country's constitutional name, to become North Macedonia after the expected ratification by Greece. An overview by our correspondent

Skopje, Europe's most polluted capital

28/12/2018 -  Ilcho Cvetanoski Skopje

Macedonia's capital has been declared the most polluted in Europe – a sad record, consequence of bad policies and a chronic lack of long-term vision

Macedonia, the Gruevski's escape

20/11/2018 -  Ilcho Cvetanoski Skopje

Former Prime Minister of the Republic of Macedonia, Nikola Gruevski, sentenced to two years in prison for the illicit purchase of a luxury limousine, fled to Hungary seeking political asylum. The scandal has had a massive impact on the Hungarian as well as Macedonian political scene

(North) Macedonia, the price of a name

23/10/2018 -  Ilcho Cvetanoski Skopje

With the support of some opposition MPs, the Skopje government has started the process of changing the country's constitution and name. The controversial process is unlikely to end before January 2019

Macedonia, the dark side of football

26/07/2018 -  Ilcho Cvetanoski Skopje

The murder of a young soccer fan in Skopje highlighted several football-related issues that Macedonian society has neglected for a long time: from the presence of intolerant ideologies among supporters' groups to their ties – often opaque – with politics

Name issue agreement, the day after in (North) Macedonia

25/06/2018 -  Ilcho Cvetanoski Skopje

After almost 25 years of negotiation, Athens and Skopje agreed to end the long-lasting name dispute. The road to finalizing the agreement, though, is still long and in (North) Macedonia the society and political parties remain bitterly divided on the issue

Macedonia-Grecia: avanti sul nome

08/06/2018 -  Ilcho Cvetanoski Skopje

Nonostante la forte opposizione interna i governi di Macedonia e Grecia stanno tentando di risolvere la disputa sul nome, che si trascina dal 1991. Anche si raggiungesse una mediazione, non basterà solo questo per rafforzare le relazioni bilaterali

"Kumanovo group", heavy convictions for the 2015 shootout

27/11/2017 -  Ilcho Cvetanoski Skopje

The ethnic-Albanian members of the so-called "Kumanovo group" received long sentences by the Skopje Court. The ruling, however, doesn't clarify all the many doubts on the case

Macedonia: a landslide victory for Zaev in the local elections

08/11/2017 -  Ilcho Cvetanoski Skopje

After the SDSM’s landslide victory in the local elections, the coalition led by Zoran Zaev has now steady ground to implement systematic reforms, start legal proceedings related to the wiretapping scandal, and dismantle the mechanisms that enabled the state capture by former prime minister Nikola Gruevski

Serbia-Macedonia, tensioni diplomatiche

28/08/2017 -  Ilcho Cvetanoski Skopje

Con una decisione senza precedenti, la Serbia ha ritirato per alcuni giorni il personale della propria ambasciata a Skopje. Varie le ipotesi sui motivi della crisi, che al momento sembra però essere rientrata

Macedonia-Bulgaria, "brother peoples"

11/08/2017 -  Ilcho Cvetanoski Skopje

The reactions in Macedonia to the good-neighbour agreement between Skopje and Sofia, between ideological U-turns by traditional parties and the praise of the Orthodox monks