China and Macedonia to improve Economic relations

In the meeting between Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruveski and the high delegation of the Chinese Communist Party, possibilities of improvement and increasing of economic cooperation and trade were discussed, and the participants commented on the influences of the global crisis.

Special emphasis was put on possible cooperation in the field of energy, tobacco trade and visit of Chinese tourists to  Macedonia. During the meeting, stands on peaceful policy based on respect of the international law and universal value were reaffirmed.

The high Chinese delegation should also meet the leader of the Macedonian opposition, Branko Crvenkovski.

49th Struga Poetry Evenings beginns

Struga - flow of Crni Drim from Ohrid lake.

The 49th edition of the Struga Poetry Evenings (SPE) starts Thursday evening in Struga with a manifestation titled "Meridians". This year's laureate is Lyubomir Levchev - the first poet from Bulgaria to be awarded with Golden Wreath in SPE's five-decade history.

Organisers have said that sixty poets from all around the world and about 50 Macedonian authors will participate at the event. The festival will introduce several novelties - a compilation of poetry, music and art with performances by musicians from Israel, Spain, Italy, Serbia...

The festival is comprised of its traditional contents - poetry readings "Bridges" and "Meridians", a portrait of laureate Levchev, promotion of young poets at a manifestation dubbed "A Night Without Punctuation", National Poetry Evening - which this years is dedicated to Azerbaijan, etc.

Levchev, 75, has written 50 books of poetry in Bulgarian, published between 1957 and 2007 in Bulgaria, and 70 separate books in 34 countries in the world. He has won 17 national and international awards of poetry in almost every continent in the world.

Estonian poet Siim Kera, the winner of an award for best debut book, will be also presented at SPE. The "Miladinov Brothers" award, which is presented to the best book of poetry by a Macedonian author, this year was given to poet Vladimir Martinovski.

Archeological researches in Strumica area

Golema Trpeza - Konjarevo village

Researches at the archaeological site of Golema Trpeza, Konjarevo village, near the Macedonian-Bulgarian border, were launched recently. The researches are organized for the first time and 10 member team that conducted field work in the next few months.
- Our knowledge is that it is a prehistoric site near the village of Staro Konjarevo in the municipality of Novo Selo, where we expect to find significant artifacts. For us, important in this area are the prehistoric sites of Carevi Kuli and the settlement Angelci. With the completion of excavations in the three sites, we are planning to finalize the prehistoric period in Strumica, according to the Institute-Museum in Strumica.

US Congressional staffers visit Macedonia

In organisation of the United Macedonian Diaspora (UMD) this week 18 senior US Congressional staffers will pay a visit to Macedonia.

Over the course of their stay in Macedonia, the delegation will meet with the leadership of the country, including President Gjorge Ivanov, Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki, and Defense Minister Zoran Konjanovski, as well as with MPs and representatives of the non-governmental sectors.

The US delegation is led by Lincoln McCurdy, president of the Turkish Coalition of America (TCA), which fully sponsors the visit to Macedonia.

UMD and TCA have established strategic partnership.

The delegation will visit three cities, Skopje, the birthplace of Mother Teresa and Justinian the Great; Bitola, where Mustafa Kemal Ataturk went to military academy; as well as Ohrid, considered to be the Pearl and Jerusalem of the Balkans.

13-member delegation from Turkey, consisted of NGO representatives, will accompany the guests from US.

24th Ohrid Swimming Marathon begins

The 24. Ohrid Swimming Marathon, held under the auspices of President Gjorge Ivanov, began Saturday, including 22 competitors from 10 countries.

The 13 male and 9 female swimmers are expected to pass the 30km-long track "Klime Savin" in 5-6 hours, depending on the weather conditions.

Eight-time winner and current leader in the world ranking, Bulgarian Petar Stoychev is among the competitors, along with closest rival Damien Blaum from Argentina. Macedonia is represented by five swimmers, with Evgenij Pop-Acev, who is sixth in the Grand Prix standings, leading the charge.

Geijo Pilar, who is first in the general classification among women, is among the swimmers, alongside Esther Nunez Morera, who won the Ohrid marathon three years ago. There are no female representatives from Macedonia this year.

The Ohrid marathon is the ninth of 10 marathons within the Grand Prix series of the International Swimming Federation (FINA). The event is organized by the Macedonian Swimming Federation and Ohrid-based water sports club "Ohridski Branovi".

Malta 1:1 Macedonia - Stone Age

With no TV signal, Radio, Live Commentary or Pigeons from the Ta'Qali National Stadium in Malta, Macedonian journalists not present in Malta could just imagine what the scoreline is in todays' friendly match. At the end, they certainly didn't imagine 1:1 against Malta who has lost to Macedonia five times in a row.

Ivan Trickovski scored his second goal in his second match for Macedonia (two for two) in the 36th minute with a header.

Malta tied the match in the beginning moments of the second half. In the 47th minute, Malta's best player Mifsud tied the score also with a header.

This was the last friendly match for Macedonia before traveling to Bratislava in September for the first match of the Euro2012 qualifying campaign against Slovakia.

Macedonia has not lost in its last six matches, however todays 1-1 result against minnows Malta has certainly raised eyebrows in the general public.

Alexander the Great poisoned by the Styx River

Alexander the Great (336-323 BC)

Scientists from the US Stanford University believe that Alexander the Great, the King of Macedonia, was poisoned by the water from the River Styx in Greece.

The river was believed to be the mythical entrance to Hell.

It was based on a real steam now known as the Mavroneri, or Black Water, which springs from mountains on the Peloponnesian peninsula.

The researchers have found correlation between the symptoms suffered by Alexander before his death, and the effects of the highly toxic bacterium found in the river.

The King of Macedonia fell ill during a party at the palace of Nebuchadnezzar II in Babylon, and after a 12-day agony died aged 33.

For many centuries historians believed he had died of typhoid or malaria.

Macedonia Celebrates Ilinden

If Ilinden 1903 was one of Macedonian disobedience, Ilinden 1944 one of Macedonian perseverance and unity, then Ilinden 2010 is one of Macedonian struggle for success, economic development, better and dignified life of all citizens, said Monday Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski in the address at site Meckin Kamen near Krusevo on occasion of August 2-Day of Republic.

According to him, this struggle can be won only through unity and overcoming differences, high moral, patriotism and healthy values.

"Our goal is for the Republic of Macedonia to turn into a country with high quality of life, higher standards and happier people. There is no barrier that can't be overcome. We are determined to achieve the high European ideals and civilization achievements", stressed Gruevski.

He said significant results have been achieved in the past period, such as meeting criteria for NATO accession and the European Commission recommendation for start of EU accession negotiations.

"We must enter with pride and dignity on this path towards our deserved place in the European family of nations, so that we can give the EU additional value. This means it is not good for us, our neighbors and Europe if we accede with low moral, devalued status and damaged feelings. It is rational, humane and culturally the right thing to sit at the table with our friends as Macedonians", stated PM Gruevski.

Unfortunately, he added, when we obtained independence we believed the struggle of generations to come would be progress, education, upgrading of ethnic and religious coexistence, NATO and EU accession, but we are faced with a cruel reality that even in the 21st century, we are still forced to fight for our identity, language, name, nationality and self-determination.

"However, this imposed issue by our neighbor to deal with challenges we believed have long been overcome, will not deter us from our strategic priorities for EU and NATO accession, or the modernization of our society, so that our citizens enjoy a better, safer, richer and quality life", said Gruevski.

"We respect all our neighbors and we want to cooperate with all of them, as we are already doing. We do not want to take away anything from anyone, be it territory, culture, history etc. However, we do not want anything taken away from us too. We are a tolerant and peaceful nation and I believe we will find solutions to the problems in this spirit", he emphasized.

PM Gruevski urged for unity and opening a new modern page in political life.

"Let us try to work together, united behind the platform of a stable, independent and democratic Republic of Macedonia with developed market economy, state ruled by law, a good and respected neighbor and ally. Political differences and difficulties will always exist, like in all other democracies. However, when essential national and civil interests take the stage, we should find the strength to overcome political differences", added Gruevski.

According to him, time has come when the eternal struggle for a better tomorrow should be valued, where everyone would feel happier, more dignified and fulfilled.

"We have an obligation before the remains of the Ilinden fighters to create conditions for general prosperity. We must stage an uprising of intellectual and moral progress. Changes are natural and necessary. We should invest every atom of our strength into the interest of the common good, development of each individual. This is the struggle of today, the struggle of this generation, a struggle that must be won", underlined Gruevski.

The Government delegation attending the central event on occasion of the 107th anniversary from the Ilinden Uprising and 66 years of the first Anti-Fascist Assembly for the People's Liberation of Macedonia (ASNOM) also included Justice Minister Mihajlo Manevski, Minister of Environment and Physical Planning Nexhati Jakupi and Minister of Information Society Ivo Ivanovski.

The delegation laid flowers at the grave of Nikola Karev, site Sliva and Krusevo Republic monument at Meckin Kamen.