Archeological excavations at Crkviste site continue

Excavations at the archaeological site of Crkviste in the Kumanovo village of Klecovce will resume with financial support still being provided by the Ministry of Culture, it was announced on Wednesday.

"For us it is crucial the site to be discovered, restored and put into function as a cultural tourism attraction. One of the main priorities of the ministry and the government in general is the preservation of cultural heritage at archaeological sites. The ministry through its annual programme singles out funds for excavations across the country," stated Culture Minister Elizabeta Kanceska-Milevska.

She announced that more finances would be set aside for excavations at Crkviste next year.

The archaeological site of Crkviste - one of the oldest buildings unearthed in Macedonia - is a large church complex with 35 meters of length and 13 meters of width. It is located in the vicinity of Kokino. 

Kumanovo hosts 15th Days of Comedy festival

The 15th international festival "Days of Comedy" starts Monday evening in Kumanovo. Ten comedies from Macedonia, Serbia, Bulgaria and Kosovo will be performed at the festival.

"The festival has been organised for 15 years. The first year I hoped that Kumanovo would accept it and that the event would become traditional. Now I can freely say that the festival enriches the city's cultural life," said Risto Stefanovski, a member of festival's council.

The festival each year is better and better and hopefully one day it will host European productions, organisers have said.

"Days of Comedy" festival is financed the Ministry of Culture.

Janakieski: Construction of railway Corridor 8 to begin next spring

The construction of the railway corridor 8, a section from Kumanovo to Beljakovce is to begin on February or March 2013, Minister of Transport and Communications Mile Janakieski said at Sunday’s press conference.

The talks with European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) are underway from which funds at amount of EUR 46.4 million are to be provided this year and the construction of section from Kumanovo to Beljakovce is to begin during 2013 and to be completed in 2017, Janakieski said.

He added that grant has been approved from Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF) instrument for selection of consultants, which will monitor Kumanovo – Beljakovce section at amount of EUR 2.5 million.

Public Enterprise Macedonian Railways Infrastructure on March 29, 2012 signed agreement with Austria’s consulting company ILF which is to prepare the project and tender documentation for selection of construction company. In September the public call will be announced for engagement of construction company and on February or March next year the construction works from Kumanovo to Beljakovce section will begin, he added.

European bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and European Investment Bank (EIB) pointed out the necessity of breaking the contracts that Public Enterprise Macedonian Railways Infrastructure had signed with construction companies as pre-condition for future credit loans, Janakieski said.

That’s why government at its last session proposed law on cease of valid of law on providing fund for financing programme for construction of railway track approved in 1994.

In regard to Beljakovce – Kriva Palanka section, Janakieski said that European Investment Bank informed them in a letter that they will enter the investment of the project for which EUR 145 million are needed for the construction works.

Related to Kriva Palanka – Deve Bair section, Janakieski said that it is most difficult and most expensive section. Ministry of Transport and Communications has submitted request to IPA for providing funds at amount of EUR 2 million for preparation of basic projects.

This section is estimated to cost EUR 332 million, funds which would be provided by IPA, EBRD and EIB, Janakieski said adding that the construction of the section is planned to begin in 2017 and to end in 5-year deadline.

The Mysteries around Kokino

Kokino.

The crescent moon is seen over a rocky crest filled with astronomical stone markers at the ancient megalithic observatory of Kokino, Macedonia, back on 21 June 2009, the day of the Summer solstice. Kokino includes special stone markers used to track the movement of sun and moon on the eastern horizon.
Kokino was accidentally discovered by Macedonian archeologist Jovica Stankovski back in 2001.
The observatory used the method of stationary observation, marking positions of the sun at the winter and summer solstice, as well as the equinox. The ancient astronomic observatory, located about 80 km north-east of Skopje, dates back more than 4.000 years.
Kokino has been nominated to be included on UNESCO's World Heritage Site list. The importance of the site was confirmed by US space agency NASA, which placed it on its list of ancient observatories.
A Kokino culture may have been found, after a network of 10 temples were discovered in the mountain peaks of the Kumanovo-Kratovo region, dating back to 20th-18th century BC. Stone drawings have also been discovered, especially those of the eagle (associated with storms), and turtles (symbol of country). At least ten figurine objects of humans and animals have been discovered. If Kokino is identified as an ancient civilization, it would be the oldest known in southern Europe.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kokino