31 August 2013

Ohrid Lake stocked with 100,000 endemic trout

Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management Ljupco Dimovski attended Saturday the stocking of Ohrid Lake with 100.000 endemic trout offspring.

Since 2006 until present day around 14 million trout offspring were stocked in the lake for which around Denar 35 million were invested, Dimovski said.

He said that approximately 2.1 million trout offspring are planned to be stocked for this year and the activity will be wrapped up by end of next month.

He also emphasised that same activities of trout stocking are being carried out also from the Albanian side.

The stocking of Ohrid Lake is carried out in line with the programme for artificial spawning process. In 1935, a breeding program was established to artificially spawn and hatch the native trout in order to support the natural recruitment of Lake Ohrid trout. Since then, the lake has been stocked with more than 450 million young trout in different stages of development.

30 August 2013

Skopje Clinic gets new equipment, medical results in 1/2 hour

Macedonia's Government has been investing over EUR 100 million in the health care system in order to provide high-quality medical service to citizens, Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski said Friday at a promotion of new EUR 700.000-worth-equipment for the Skopje City Hospital '8 September'.
The new up-to-date equipment will be put at service to all citizens who need help. the PM said, adding that a new group of eight US doctors would be soon engaged in this hospital to train their Macedonian colleagues.

"All ongoing activities for modernization turn this medical center into one of the largest in Macedonia," Gruevski said.

With the new equipment the '8 September' hospital will be able to offer high-quality health care services to citizens, Health Minister Nikola Todorov said.

27 August 2013

Rainfalls expected on Wednesday


Rainfalls will gain in intensity this afternoon and turn into heavy showers on Wednesday, accompanied by thunderstorms and 60km/h-wind, Skopje's Weather Office reported earlier today.

Moderately cloudy weather with local rain is expected to prevail in the next few days.

23 August 2013

Macedonia's Culture Minister visits Heraklea

Minister of Culture Elizabeta Kanceska-Milevska, Bitola mayor Vladimir Taleski and the director of the Office for Cultural Heritage Protection, Viktor Lilcic visited Friday the archaeological site of Heraclea where numerous important artefacts have been discovered recently.


Heraclea, founded by Philip II of Macedon in the middle of the 4th century BC, is part of the capital projects funded by the government due to its immense significance, the Ministry of Culture says in a press release.

This year's archaeological excavations in Heraclea, financed by the Culture Ministry, include a research of the new basilica from the early Christian period. Its size confirms the importance of this ancient city as a developed center in the early period of Christianity. A fully-preserved beautiful mosaic have been unearthed during the excavation process.

"These mosaics, which make Heraclea so famous, are an exciting discovery and are immensely significant in enriching Macedonia's archaeological science," she said.

Over 400 artefacts, many fragments of frescoes, ceramic bowls as well as coins have been found during excavations conducted this year.

Macedonia opens new Tech Development Zone in Štip

Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, Vice-Premier and Finance Minister Zoran Stavreski, TIDZ Director Viktor Mizo and Stip Mayor Ilco Zahariev opened Friday in Stip a new technological-industrial development zone (TIDZ).
A lot has been done since the 2010 cornerstone-laying ceremony for the TIDZ Stip, which is now ready to welcome all potential investors from this region, Gruevski said at the opening ceremony.

He expressed belief that very soon many factories would be erected in the zone, which means a lot of new jobs and substantial contribution to the development of eastern Macedonia.
US "Johnson Controls" has already broken the ice in TIDZ Stip, choosing the zone as a location for its second plant in Macedonia.

TIDZ Stip has road connections to Skopje and Kocani through M5 interstate and connections with the planned cargo airport in Stip through M6 interstate. The national rail station is 2.5 km away from the location and the nearest international airport Alexander the Great in Skopje is 75 km away. The nearest sea port - the one in Solun - is 225 km away from TIDZ Stip.
In addition to the TIDZs in Skopje (1 and 2) and in Stip and Tetovo, technological development zones are also planned in Strumica, Radovis, Delcevo Vinica, Berovo, Prilep, Kicevo, Gevgelija...

By this project the Government's is planning to cover all regions in Macedonia it believes will attract new investments, Gruevski said.

22 August 2013

Simon Trpceski to perform in Mexico, Colombia and Brazil

World-renowned pianist Simon Trpceski will hold his first-ever solo concert in Mexico City on Thursday.

"It's really beautiful here, Mexican people have similar mentality with Macedonians and hopefully I will have the chance to learn more about their culture," Trpceski had stated.



Speaking to reporters ahead of his performance, the pianist paid tribute to one of Mexico's greatest poets, José Emilio Pacheco, who is this year's recipient of the Golden Wreath awarded by the Struga Poetry Evenings.

From Mexico, Trpceski departs for Medellin, Colombia for another debut solo performance on Saturday.

His tour resumes in Brazil, which includes three performances in the capital Sao Paulo.

Trpceski in early September will perform as a soloist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

The Macedonian pianist kicked off his new concert season early this month with performances at music festivals in Montenegro and Norway.

His latest CD with a recording of his recital at Wigmore Hall in London has been proclaimed best release of the week by Classic FM radio in London.

17 August 2013

Macedonia's turnover industry rises

Macedonia's turnover index in industry in the period between January and June 2013, compared to the same period last year, rose by 6.9%. In June 2013 in comparison with June 2012, the index of industry turnover increased by 14.9%, the State Statistical Office said on Thursday.

The index of domestic turnover in industry in June 2013, in comparison with June 2012, decreased by 6.3%, and the index of  non-domestic turnover in industry increased by 27.7%.

The turnover index in industry in the section mining and quarrying in June 2013, in comparison with June 2012, was at the same level, while it increased by 15.8% in the section manufacturing industry.
The turnover index by Main Industrial Groupings in June 2013, in comparison with June 2012, was higher in Energy by 53.4%, Intermediate goods industries, except energy by 1.9%, Capital goods industries by 67.2% and Non-durable consumer goods industries by 9.9%, but lower in Durable consumer goods industries by 19.6%.

June's turnover in industry compared to May 2013 dropped by 5.1%.

14 August 2013

Globex builds first facility at Cojlija industrial zone

A ceremony on Wednesday marked the start of construction of the first facility at the multifunctional industrial zone Cojlija - a logistics center which is an investment by the company Globeks DOO Skopje. 

"One million euros will be invested in the logistics center and initially 30 new jobs are set to be opened, out of the planned 360 employments," Minister of Transportation and Communications Mile Janakieski said at the ground-breaking ceremony.
The facility is being built on an area of 7,000 square meters and is supposed to be completed in the first quarter of 2014.
65 lots in Cojlija industrial zone - the biggest in Macedonia - have been sold so far and cornerstones for some of the planned investments are expected to be laid in due time, according to Janakieski.

"It is expected Cojlija in two to three years' time to be turned into a real construction site and an industrial zone where thousands of people from the municipality of Petrovec and its region will be employed," the minister stressed.
The government, he added, in cooperation with the municipalities is continuously conducting activities to urbanize as much lots as possible for construction of industrial centers and to offer favourable prices and services to companies.

The company's owner, Snezana Kokra said that the logistics center and Globeks' daughter firm Global Logistics will be included in the area employing 350 people.

05 August 2013

With Wizz Air to Paris, Brussels and Frankfurt for $32


As of April 2014, low-cost airline Wizz Air is to introduce flights from Skopje to Brussels, Frankfurt and Paris, subsidized by the Macedonian Government.

The airline will introduce two flights a week to the three destinations, with ticket prices starting at Denar 1,500 (EUR 25).

Wizz Air will also put into use its new passenger plane Airbus A-320 next April, thus increasing its pool at Skopje-based airport "Alexander the Great".

Minister of Transport and Communications Mile Janakieski and Wizz Air Executive Vice-President John Stephenson said at Monday's press conference that frequency of flights to majority of the existing destinations - Malmo, Basel, Dortmund, Eindhoven, Goteborg and Munich - would also increase.

According to Minister Janakieski, subsidizing has contributed to the increase of passengers by 18.2 percent at the Skopje and Ohrid airports.

Wizz Air has a 35.2-percent share in the total number of passengers, followed by Turkish Airlines, Austria Airlines, Adriatic Airlines and Pegasus.

TAV Macedonia, which operates the Macedonia's airports, has said efforts are invested for more flights to Italy and re-establishment of flights to Budapest and Prague.

02 August 2013

Macedonians worldwide celebrate Ilinden


Krusevo fell, but was never defeated. A great idea was born on this day which continued to live in every one of us by which Macedonian nation scores great victories. The idea for which Ilinden fighters and fighters of the national liberation war strived for is alive and lives in us and it will always live. We should always multiply this idea in new victories, Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski said in his address on the occasion of Ilinden holiday at Meckin Kamen in Krusevo.

Entire Macedonia knows about the accomplishment that these brave people made 110 years ago. Men and women, children and old men, tradesman, farmers boldly to the last breath had defended Macedonia. And now after 110 years we are paying respect, celebrating and thanking them for their deed and honour, Gruevski said.


On this day, the great idea was born which continued to live in every one of us and did not eveb perish in the Balkan Wars and WWI. This idea contributed Macedonia to start the fight on Oct. 11, 1941 against Hitler’s occupation. The Ilinden resistance continued to live when on Aug. 2, 1944 Macedonian nation held ASNOM’s first session sealing the deserved victory, Gruevski said.

The remembrance of the first and second Ilinden helped Macedonian nation and nationalities to decide on independence and sovereignty of the Republic of Macedonia on Sep. 8, 1991, he said.

Many our ancestors had scarified for us to be free today, to have own rights, culture, language, name, right to religious affiliation, identity, to freely live and die, Gruevski said asking what we can do for Macedonia for our country, our fatherland for which they had fought courageously.

The Republic of Macedonia is independent and sovereign state and everyone should know that today we have basic right as well as basic obligations and duties to work for its development in every sphere, he said.

It depends from us living here Macedonians, Albanians, Turks, Romas, Vlachs, Serbs, Bosniaks whether we will be successful, whether we will meet more standards and whether we will make life better, he underlined.

Reminding on the slogan of today’s celebration “One Idea, Many Victories!” and that the idea for which fighters of Ilinden and of the national liberation war strive for is alive and lives in us we are embodying in all spheres without exception.

Because Macedonia is without natural resources, without oil or gas deposits, without sea beaches that can bring billions of tourists as is it a case in some countries. Our success can only be based on knowledge and skill, investment in minds and knowledge of the citizens. Our chance is here for long-term success. That’s why successful countries and societies are those that are based on knowledge, innovation, entrepreneurship, scientific achievements and education, he emphasized.

The victory is, as he said, to reduce the price of medicaments, to invest in modern equipment for clinics and hospitals, to build and to renovate, to provide free of charge study visit to our doctors abroad, to provide system for better communication between doctors and patients for everyone’s interest.

The victory is Macedonia’s joining in South Stream gas pipeline, new airport in Skopje, modernization of Ohrid airport, new buses for city transportation, apartments for socially vulnerable groups, construction and reconstruction of local, regional roads and highways, legalization of illegally built buildings, purchase of yards for the families, legalization of farms, agricultural mechanization, buying of solid cars and buses as well as high annual agricultural subsidies for farmers, PM Gruevski said.

01 August 2013

10 Days Krusevo Republic event begins

The arrival of the Ilinden March horsemen in Krusevo marks Thursday the start of event "Ten Days Krusevo Republic".
The event, held in light of the 110. anniversary from the Ilinden Uprising and 69. years since the Anti-fascist Assembly for the People's Liberation of Macedonia (ASNOM), will open with reading of the Krusevo Republic Manifesto and flag hoisting ceremony.

The main event will be held at Meckin Kamen on Friday, which Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski is set to address.

Ten Days Krusevo Republic includes events dedicated to the day of the Republic's establishment and its Manifesto, but also commemorating the Holocaust victims and honoring Aegean heroes.

The event will end on August 10 with a gun salute for the Ilinden and Krusevo Republic heroes.