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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA

FRIENDS OF MACEDONIA GROUP

RENEWED AT EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

INTERNATIONAL HOLOCAUST

REMEMBRANCE DAY COMMEMORATED

IN FOCUSDIPLOMATIC

NEWS

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HIGHRANKING GOVERNMENT

DELEGATION MEETS

U.S. VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN

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DIPLOMATIC NEWS

Macedonian Diplomatic Bulletin wasounded in October 2006 by the Ministry oForeign Affairs o the Republic o Macedonia.

Filip II Makedonski 7, 1000 SkopjeRepublic o Macedonia

www.ma.gov.mk mdb@ma.gov.mk 

Editor:Vladimir Eremovski

Editorial Board:Zuko Rizvanski, Shaban Jashari,Katerina Stavreska, Olga Janevska Jovanovik,and Sejullah Shaqiri

 Adviser:Metodija Belevski

Photo:Ljupco Blagoevski

Published monthly by:

Macedonian Inormation Centre

Director: Dragan Antonov 

Chief ranslator: Aleksandra Ilievska

MDB

No. 102

 January 2016 

Te articles published in MacedonianDiplomatic Bulletin do not necessarilyrepresent the views o the MacedonianMinistry o Foreign Affairs or theMacedonian Inormation Centre.

© 2016

Naum Naumovski Borce 73,1000 Skopje, Republic o Macedoniawww.micnews.com.mk 

From 26 to 28 January, Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov paid a working visit tothe Italian Republic where he took part in the 7th High-Level Meeting o the NizamiGanjavi International Center and the Italian Society or International Organizations -Initiative or Global Dialogue in a Multipolar World, held in Rome. At the meeting held atthe Italian Senate, President Ivanov addressed the opening session titled “Responding toRadicalization and Extremism Trough Inter-Religious Dialogue”.

President Ivanov was presented with a special award rom the Nizami GanjaviInternational Center or his support to the Center’s initiatives and or his contribution tointer-religious dialogue.

He also attended the reception that Italian President Sergio Mattarella hosted or theconerence participants and held several meetings with conerence attendees.

On the occasiono the New Yearand Christmas, thePresident o the Republico Macedonia, GjorgeIvanov, hosted the

traditional receptionor the members o thediplomatic corps in theRepublic o Macedoniain Bitola on 22 January.Te reception wasaddressed by President Ivanov and the doyen o the diplomatic corps, the Ambassador othe Russian Federation, Oleg Nikolayevich Shcherbak.

As always, the diplomatic reception was hosted outside o the country’s capital. Tisyear, diplomats had the opportunity to learn more about the history, economy and cultureo Bitola. Te natural attractions and characteristics o Pelister National Park as well as thepossibilities or investment in Bitola were presented to the diplomats.

Besides Bitola, diplomatic receptions have so ar been held in Kruševo, Gevgelija andBerovo.

PRESIDENT IVANOV PAYS WORKING

VISIT TO ITALIAN REPUBLIC

PRESIDENT IVANOV HOSTS

DIPLOMATIC RECEPTION IN BITOLA

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On 18 January, Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov haddinner with the Ambassador o the French Republic inthe Republic o Macedonia, Laurence Auer, the ambassadors othe French Republic to the Southeast European countries (theRepublic o Bulgaria, the Republic o Serbia, the Republic oCroatia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republic oSlovenia, Hungary, the Republic o Kosovo and the Republic oAlbania), as well as with the special envoy o the French Republicor the Balkans, Alain Richard, and Florence Mangin, Director orContinental Europe at the French Ministry o Foreign Affairs.

Te goal o the meeting was getting ready or the ParisConerence on Southeast Europe 2016. Over the course o thetalks, views were shared on the situation in the Region, the securityrisks, the reugee and migrant crisis, the process o Euro-Atlanticintegration, regional cooperation, good-neighborly relations andthe role o the French Republic in Southeast Europe.

President Ivanov confirmed Macedonia’s commitment to

promoting regional cooperation in all areas o shared interest and

reaffirmed the country’s oreign policy priorities, emphasizingthat Macedonia remained ully committed to EU and NAO

integration.

Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski met U.S. VicePresident Joe Biden in Washington DC on 12 January.Among the issues discussed were the political agreement, thereorms in a number o areas, the economy and economiccooperation, the security risks and Macedonia’s membership oNAO and the European Union.

Beore Meeting Mr. Biden, Prime Minister Gruevski metCongressman Pete Sessions, Chairman o the House RulesCommittee, and Alain Bersin, Assistant Secretary or InternationalAffairs and Chie Diplomatic Officer or the U.S. Department oHomeland Security (DHS) Office o Policy.

PRESIDENT IVANOV MEETS FRENCH AMBASSADORS FROM REGION

PM GRUEVSKI MEETS U.S. VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN

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he Minister o Foreign Affairs o the Republico Macedonia, Nikola Poposki, and theDeputy Prime Minister or European Affairs,Fatmir Besimi, had inormal working breakastwith the oreign ministers o the European Unionmember states in Brussels on 18 January. Temeeting, which was also attended by EuropeanCommissioner Johannes Hahn, ocused on theEuropean integration o the Republic o Macedoniaand was held at the initiative o the Ministers oForeign Affairs o Hungary and the Republic oAustria, Péter Szijjártó and Sebastian Kurz.

Te ministers said that it was in their interestthat the Republic o Macedonia was successul inthe process o European integration and that the

country should open accession negotiations assoon as possible. Tey said Macedonia showed ithad capacity and was a proessional and crediblecandidate or EU membership. Te positive andresponsible role o the country in coping with themigrant crisis was also underlined.

A bilateral meeting between the ForeignMinisters o the Republic o Macedonia and theHellenic Republic, Nikola Poposki and NikosKotzias, was held on this occasion. Tey talked about overcoming the long-standing impediment to opening accession negotiationsbetween the Republic o Macedonia and the EU, removing the obstacles on that way, and the positive effects this would have on the effort tomove beyond the name row.

Over the course o the meeting, Minister Poposki held talks with several counterparts, including with the oreign ministers o theSovereign Military Order o Malta, the Republic o Bulgaria and the Republic o Slovenia.

On 26 January, Macedonian Foreign MinisterNikola Poposki paid a working visit tothe European Parliament in Brussels where heattended the inaugural event o reestablishing

the group ‘Friends o Macedonia at the EuropeanParliament’. Te group chaired by Marijana Petir,a Croatian Member o the European Parliament,consists o 26 MEPs. Minister Poposki said theevent was a step orward in the achievement o theparamount goal—opening accession negotiationsbetween the Republic o Macedonia and the EU.

Minister Poposki also held several bilateralmeetings with MEPs, riends o Macedonia, atwhich it was emphasized that opening membershipnegotiations with the EU remained a key priorityor the Republic o Macedonia.

MINISTERS POPOSKI AND BESIMI MEET

FOREIGN MINISTERS OF EU MEMBER STATES

FRIENDS OF MACEDONIA GROUP

RENEWED AT EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

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© Österreichisches AußenministeriumFoto: Dragan atic

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On the occasion o 27 January, International HolocaustRemembrance Day, a commemoration was held at theMinistry o Foreign Affairs at which tribute was paid to all theHolocaust victims including the 7,144 Jews rom the Republic oMacedonia deported to the reblinka concentration camp in 1943.Te commemoration was opened by Culture Minister ElizabetaKančeska-Milevska and Deputy Foreign Minister DraganaKiprijanovska.

As part o the ceremony, in the hall o the Ministry o ForeignAffairs, the exhibit “Anne Frank – a History or oday” wasopened, organized in cooperation with the Anne Frank Housemuseum rom Amsterdam and the Youth Educational Forumo Skopje. As part o the activities held to mark InternationalHolocaust Remembrance Day, History Proessor Leah Dabby-Chaki delivered a lecture titled “Stages in the Final Solution” at theMinistry o Foreign Affairs on 28 January.

INTERNATIONAL HOLOCAUST

REMEMBRANCE DAY COMMEMORATED

Macedonian Deputy Foreign Minister Dragana Kiprijanovskapaid a working visit to Austria on 29 January and metwith the Secretary-General at the Federal Ministry or Europe,Integration and Foreign Affairs, Michael Linhart.

Te excellent bilateral cooperation was confirmed at the meetingand views were also shared on the situation in the Western Balkansand the latest developments in the region o Central Europe.Te political situation in the Republic o Macedonia, regionalcooperation in the Western Balkans and Macedonia’s successul

Presidency o the Central European Initiative were also discussed.Opinions were exchanged on the migrant crisis and emphasiswas laid on the continued constructive role that the Republic oMacedonia plays in dealing with the migrant flow.

During her working visit to Austria, Kiprijanovska also had ameeting with the Deputy Director o the Diplomatic Academy oVienna, Dr. Gerhard Sailler, at which they tabled the opportunitiesor cooperation o the two Diplomatic Academies and the Instituteor Geostrategic Research o the Macedonian Foreign Ministry.

DEPUTY FM KIPRIJANOVSKA PAYS VISIT TO AUSTRIA

On 11 January, the Secretary o State at the Ministry o

Foreign Affairs o the Republic o Macedonia, ElenaKuzmanovska, attended the joint meeting o the GlobalCounterterrorism Forum and the Global Coalition AgainstISIS in Te Hague, organized by the ministers o oreignaffairs o the Kingdom o the Netherlands, the Kingdomo Morocco and the Republic o urkey. Te measures andactivities to be taken under Resolution 2178 o the UN

Security Council and the measures to improve and speed

up the implementation o the plans or dealing with oreignterrorist fighters were tabled at the meeting.

Kuzmanovska underlined in her address that the Republico Macedonia as part o the anti-terrorist coalition led bythe U.S.A. closely ollowed global trends in countering andcontaining terrorism.

MEETING OF GLOBAL COUNTERTERRORISM FORUM

AND GLOBAL COALITION AGAINST ISIS

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I

n my capacity as Chair o the International HolocaustRemembrance Alliance, it is a great honor to be able to address

the readers o the Macedonian Diplomatic Bulletin.Macedonian Government is a very active observer o theIHRA and is making consistent achievements in Holocaustremembrance. And it matters. Everything that is relatedto Holocaust remembrance takes on a strikingly vigorousimportance that goes beyond even its legacy and historicalmeaning. In 2005 the United Nations General Assemblydesignated 27 January as an annual International Day oCommemoration in memory o the victims o the Holocaust. It isa undamental and important event. Holocaust remembrance hasbecome a vital, driving orce o our constant vigilance against thedangers o the present and the uture.

 Allow me to draw your kind attention to the mission o theIHRA and the program o the Hungarian Chairmanship.

In January 2000, the representatives o 46 governmentscame together in Stockholm at the International Forum onthe Holocaust to commit themselves to urther internationalcooperation on Holocaust education, remembrance and research.Te IHRA has grown to an inter-governmental body o 31 ullmembers which unctions as a political network o policy-makers,academics, educators, curators and experts. Our membership isgrowing and we now have ten observer countries which we hopewill in due time advance to ull membership, as well as sevenInternational Partner institutions.

Te oundation o the IHRA sent a clear signal to the worldthat it was not only the responsibility o Jewish communities

and civil society to remember the murdered. It was and is also aresponsibility o governments. O the whole humanity.

Te Holocaust is a national tragedy or the Hungarians andAuschwitz is more than just a symbol or us: it is a nationalcemetery where we ace the memory and the legacy o the past,

what has been done and what has been lost.Te present and uture generations o Hungary, as well as the

government are aware o that historical burden on us. Tis givesus the duty and responsibly to keep the memory alive, to reflectappropriately on the past, so that the Holocaust will and cannever happen again.

It is or this reason that we are grateul or the trust o holdingthe Chair o the IHRA with consensual support o the memberstates. Te priorities o the Hungarian IHRA Chairmanship areHolocaust education, the fight against antisemitism, educationon the genocide o the Roma, enhancing the visibility o theIHRA and urther outreach o the IHRA (Ukraine, Vatican).

Close to the end o the Hungarian Chairmanship I am pleasedto inorm you that during our Chairmanship we hosted twoplenary sessions, and an IHRA-conerence on the use and abuseo Holocaust-related imagery and discourse. In order to raisethe visibility o the IHRA, more than 100 events were organisedby our diplomatic and cultural missions all over the world.Skopje was and is a very important host o some great events ocommemoration.

In our daily lives we are aced with the act that differentorms o radicalism are on the rise in many European countriesand societies. Violent physical attacks on Jews in Paris, Brussels,Copenhagen and other atrocities throughout Europe indicatethat antisemitism poses a threat to democracy, the values o

civilisation and to the overall security in societies. Antisemitismappears in many orms, some are less obvious, and some are veryaggressive. As you know, combatting Holocaust denial or thedistortion o the Holocaust is one o the IHRA’s main objectives.Te link between Holocaust denial and antisemitism is even moreobvious i we realize that radical Islamists, radical right-wingextremists deny or distort the Holocaust in order to justiy theirassault on Jews and Western democracy. At the same time, ar-lefextremist instead o denying the Holocaust, trivialize it in thelight o the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Te IHRA has been successully in mobilizing more andmore political, diplomatic, civil and cultural actors to combat

antisemitism, racism and xenophobia. Te experience o theIHRA demonstrates that words are important, but not enough.For the sake o our security it is imminent to tackle both internaland external challenges in Europe. Tere is no more time towaste. Coping with the migration crisis would and should be atest o our commitment to undamental rights and we must actresolutely. Step by step: we have to help those who are in need, andwe must cooperate at a European and on an international level inorder to adequately deal with the crisis wherever and whenever itis necessary. Doing all this we, however, must not orget our past.

Szabolcs AKÁCS, Chair of IHRA

THERE IS NO MORE TIME TO WASTE

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MACEDONIA IN FOCUS

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 1 Encompassing the Agreement o 2 June, the Annex o 19 June and the Protocol o 15 July 

On 15 July 2015 the leaders o the our main political partiesin the Republic o Macedonia finalized a comprehensiveagreement to end the political crisis. Te agreement envisaged,

inter alia, return o the opposition to Parliament, conduct o earlyparliamentary elections on 24 April 2016, election o new interimgovernment to organize the elections, appointment o a SpecialProsecutor with ull autonomy to lead the investigations sur-rounding and arising rom the interception o communications.

Following opposition’s return to Parliament (1 September),appointment o the Special Prosecutor (15 September), revisiono Electoral Code (10 November), appointment o new govern-ment ministers and additional deputy ministers (11 November),establishment o Parliamentary Inquiry Committee to investigatethe allegations o wrongdoing implied by the illegal wiretap dis-closures (11 November), revision o Criminal Code with modi-

fications o article 151 “Unauthorised Wiretapping and Audio-recording” (11 November), adoption o the laws on protection oprivacy and on whistle-blowers (11 November), groups comprisedo political parties’ representatives continued working on the im-plementation package, which led to the ollowing new outcomes:Interim Government was sworn in with mandate limited to orga-nization of early parliamentary elections- Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski resigned and a new interimgovernment mandated to organize the early parliamentary elec-tions was elected by the Parliament on 18 January, with Mr. EmilDimitriev as Prime Minister. At the same session, a Parliamen-tary Decision was adopted to dissolve the Parliament, effective 24February, with a view to holding the early parliamentary electionson 24 April, as concluded in the June/July political agreementand endorsed with the cross-party parliamentary adoption o therevised Electoral Code. Te parliamentary decision was adoptedwithout the votes o opposition SDSM MPs who were not presentat the session. Opposition ministers or Interior and or Laborand Social Policy remained in the interim government, but con-ditioned their participation afer 24 February with new electiondate.Te Special Prosecutor’s Office (SPO) is operational, activities areunderway- Parliament adopted amendments to the Law on Public Prosecu-tor’s Services, regulating, inter alia, the rights and duties, salaries

and bonuses o the employees o the SPO (30 December). Amend-ments ensure ull unctionality o the SPO, including urtherstaffing with investigators, experts/advisors and other adminis-trative personnel as necessary.

- o ensure unhindered and autonomous unctioning o theSPO, a budget o approx. 4 MEUR has been allocated to the SPOor 2016 with a parliamentary decision adopted in January 2016.Previously, in November 2015, parliamentary decision was adopt-ed allocating approx. 1.1 MEUR to cover the needs o the Office inthe last quarter o 2015.

- On 30 December, opposition party SDSM handed over theillegal wiretap materials to the SPO.

- Te SPO received the first transer o cases and as per the le-gal deadlines established subject matter jurisdiction or 34 cases.On 12 February, the SPO initiated its first investigation procedure

or a criminal case related to electoral process.Te parliamentary inquiry and oversight bodies commenced theiractivities- Te Parliamentary Inquiry Committee established to investigatethe allegations o wrongdoing implied by the illegal wiretap dis-closures held several sessions. Prime Minister Gruevski testifiedbeore the Committee on 14 December 2015 in a closed hearing.Te Committee should draf and submit a report with its findingsto the National Assembly. Finance Minister responded to the invi-tation to give testimony to the Committee in a closed hearing.

- Te two parliamentary oversight committees (on the work othe Directorate or Security and Counter Intelligence and on im-

plementation o the Special Investigative Measure Interception oCommunications) held sessions and hearings, also with the sup-port o the DCAF Center or security, development and justice.Reforms in the field of Interception of Communications- Strategic partnership agreement was reached with an EU Mem-ber State in December 2015 to assist Macedonia in the process oreorms in the area o intelligence. An expert visit took place on18 January 2016 with the purpose o considering the possibilitiesor developing the Strategic plan or the next five years.

- Inter-ministerial working group was established in Janu-ary 2016, with a decision o the Minister o Interior, to prepareamendments to the law on interception o communications. TeEuropean Commission through AIEX will assist in preparation

o amendments.Organization of elections and electoral bodies - the Parliamentelects the President, Deputy President and members of the StateElection Commission (SEC)- On 16 December 2015, with 102 votes in avour and none againstor sustained, the Parliament adopted the Decision on the electiono the SEC members and its composition.

- Te new Prime Minister held several meetings with the SECand reaffirmed government commitment to provide the requiredlogistics (additional vehicles, office space, etc.), staffing and und-ing including those or field work and field check¬ups.

- Te SEC adopted on 2 February the methodology or revision

o the electoral list afer obtaining written consent rom the ourlargest political parties. I companies and experts were selected

 via public call to conduct the cross-check o state institutionaldatabases. Te SEC obtains data rom the ollowing institutions:Health Insurance Fund, Employment Agency, Cadastre, Agri-culture Ministry, Public Revenue Office, Pension and DisabilityInsurance Fund, Civil Registry Office, Labour Ministry and theNational Bank o Macedonia. Te analysts working on the revi-sion need to cross-reerence all institutional databases whilerespecting privacy rights and providing protection rom possibledata misuse. Afer the check-up o computer data, field inspectionis to be conducted or problematic data.

STATE OF PLAY IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF

THE JUNE/JULY POLITICAL AGREEMENT 1

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Border Management • As of 1 January 2016, 80.176 persons inneed o international protection transitedthrough Macedonia (32.014 man, 17.363women, 30.631 accompanied children, 168unaccompanied children) and were all is-sued certificates or expressed intent tofile an application recognizing the right

to asylum, while 10 applications were filedseeking right to asylum.

- Te persons in need o internationalprotection that were issued certificates werenationals o Syria (38.752), Aghanistan(25.222) and Iraq (16.199).• Still a high number of people continueto arrive despite weather conditions, withdaily figure ranging rom 2.000 to 3.000arrivals.

- Between 19 June 2015 and 12 February2016, 520.787 migrants were registered tohave entered and transited through Mace-donia.

- Since January 2015, there is an esti-mate o around 800.000 migrants to havetransited through Macedonia.

- Expectations o an increase in thenumber o reugees and migrants in thecoming months with the improvement oweather conditions.• To discourage illegal entries, control theflow and channel the migrants towardslegal entry and registration checkpoints,security ence is erected / reinorced on sec-

tions o the green border suspected vulner-able to illegal crossing.

- Macedonian security orces prevented17.727 persons rom crossing the southernstate border illegally since 21 August 2015(1.334 in December 2015; 2037 in January,421 in February). 240 damages o the bor-der security ence were documented.

- 16.310 economic migrants have beenreturned to Greece, out o which 6.888 inJanuary 2016.• Following decisions of other transit anddestination countries o the migrationroute, as o 20 January 2016, Macedonia

introduced new registration documentsthat include the final destination o the re-ugees. Only reugees that express intentionto seek asylum in Austria and Germany areallowed to transit through Macedonia.• ere is a documented increase in coun-tereited documents - mainly with alseSyrian, Iraqi and Aghanistan passports

and identity cards, but also countereitedFRONEX and Greek registration certifi-cates. Macedonian authorities strengthenedthe screening procedures.

- ill now a total o 8.668 countereiteddocuments have been detected, out owhich 2.979 in January 2016.Cooperation• Macedonian authorities requested bilat-eral assistance rom EU member states withborder surveillance equipment and second-ment o border guards to assist Macedo-nian border police with patrols, registra-

tion and identification, and security checks.• us far, several countries decided tosecond border guards and equipment:Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, CzechRepublic, Slovakia and Austria.

- A total o 152 oreign border guardshave thus ar been seconded and deployedon rotational basis together with Macedo-nian security orces at the border region,while their current number is 83.• Coordination and cooperation with theGreek police authorities has continued at

different levels.• Macedonia welcomed the decison of earlyDecember 2015 to deploy Frontex borderguards at Greek–Macedonian border. It isexpected to contribute to strengtheningborder control and alleviating securityrisks.• Additional assistance is needed and hasbeen requested, both at bilateral and EUlevel, to improve registration and identifi-cation capacity and border surveillance. EUmember states experts and Frontex expertswere in Skopje on scoping missions to scanneeds assessment.

Humanitarian Response• e Transit Relief Centers near Gevgelija(southern border with Greece) and Ku-manovo (northern border with Serbia) areequipped and operate in winter conditions.Tey are adapted to provide temporarytransit relie capacity or short-term stay(several hours) or 2.000 people. Tese

acilities are not suited or extended stay.Macedonia does not have extended acco-modation acilities.• e good cooperation with UNHCR, theRed Cross, IOM and other relevant organi-zations continues.• e Ministry of Health through itsrespective bodies continiously providesservices to prevent diseases and provideshealth treatment to the reugees acco-modated at the transit centers (and otherpersons in need). Such services/activitiesinclude medical treatment at the on-site

field hospital and the general hospitals inthe surrounding municipalities, desinec-tion o the transit centers, trains and other

 vehicles and acilities, etc.- In February health services were pro-

 vided to 210 persons in need.• e Ministry of Labor and Social Policycontinues to undertake concrete measureson regular basis, also in cooperation withthe relevant humanitarian organizationsactive on the ground. Such services/activi-ties include: provision and distribution o

ood and water, clothing, blankets and oth-er necessities to the reugees accomodatedat the transit centers, regular maintainanceo the acilities o the transit centers, etc.• To prevent possible tracking or violenceagainst minors, the Center or Social Workcontinued the praxis to designate guard-ians (adult reugees) to minors accompany-ing them to Serbia.

- In February, the Center or SocialWork interviewed 69 minors, out o which3 were held in the Reception Center Vizbe-govo. Te remaining were allowed to pro-

ceed to Serbia.

MACEDONIA AND THE MIGRANT/REFUGEE CRISES

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Reporting by the media throughout theelections – discussions among politicalparties are ongoing on the amendments othe Law on Media and the Law on Audioand Audio-visual Media Services with theinvolvement o journalistic associations toassure or objective and balanced report-

ing not only in the pre-elections period,but also during elections and thereafer.Implementation of the government’s Ac-tion Plan on the key reform prioritiescontinues. It covers measures in the areaso rule o law and judiciary, public admin-istration, media, electoral reorm, inter-

ethnic relations and economic governance.Tere is inclusive dialogue and regulardeliberations with the stakeholders on thekey reorm priorities, organized by theSecretariat or European Affairs, NationalEU Integration Council and the Parlia-mentary Committee on EU Affairs.

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Your Excellency, the Albanian foreignpolicy is oriented, above all, towardpromotion of peace, security and pros-perity in our region. Te Republic ofMacedonia and the Republic of Albaniaestablished diplomatic relations 23 yearsago and have since built good relationsand cooperation confirmed by numerousbilateral visits and meetings on all levels.What does the common need for closercooperation mean?As you rightly stated the Albanian oreignpolicy is ully oriented toward promotingpeace, security and stability in the region,which o course does not come easy andwithout serious engagements. In today’sworld we have to accept that we are inter-connected and interdependent on eachother, instability in one o the countries inour region will inevitably destabilize thewhole region and beyond. On the otherhand, positive trends and developmentsin one o our countries serve as a goodexample and model which the countries

in the region will or sure ollow. One othe tools in achieving peace and stabilityin the long run is the ostering o riendlyrelations not only between countries butalso between people. More significant isthe act that our two countries have soar signed 71 agreements. But I wouldlike to emphasize that riendly relationsshould not and could not be taken orgranted. Friendship among nations andpeople is not a mere product o rhetoricor even goodwill; it is not a static productthat you could achieve once and orever,instead I see it more as a living organism

that evolves constantly. As such, there is aconstant need to nourish it, oster it anddeepen it urther. Friendship in itsel is anexperience that happens between two enti-ties or subjects that share similarities witheach other, and it definitely is a two-wayresultant. Tereore, to deepen this riend-ship we need to work on both sides o theborder in order to expand the spectrumo common objectives, endeavors, initia-tives and projects, supporting each otherin multilateral organizations, implement-

ing mutual agreements and signing newones in all aspects o lie such as economy,culture, education and art, implementingcross-border projects especially those re-lated to the environment and the li e o thecommunities living by the border betweentwo countries, and above all keeping thedoor open to constant communication andexchange that builds reciprocal trust andunderstanding o each other.

In this context, I would like to em-phasize my determination to contribute,together with my team, to the urther de-

 velopment o long-term riendly relationsbetween Albania and Macedonia.

he deepening of trade and economiccooperation, as well as the promo-tion of the economic potentials of bothcountries is high on the agenda for fur-ther development of cooperation. How do

 you assess our cooperation in using theEuropean funds, especially regarding theongoing projects and the joint participa-tion in projects within the framework of

the IPA component?Well, things are definitely related to eachother, a good and riendly relationship be-tween neighbors is crucial in boosting eco-nomic cooperation as well as in promotingthe economic potential not only o our twocountries but also o the entire region. othis end, the cooperation between our twocountries in current IPA projects is good,and there are good examples in supporto this like the Lake Ohrid or Drim Valleyproject. However, there is definitely moreroom or better cooperation especiallywhen it comes to joint participation in

interconnection projects. It is also in thisregard that Albania has been rom the

 very beginning a ervent supporter o theBerlin Process initiated by Chancellor An-gela Merkel, as the right platorm or con-necting the Balkans states with each otherand with the EU urther, resolving thepending issues and supporting each otherin Euro-Atlantic integration processes.

he good relations are confirmedwith the continued Macedoniansupport for the European aspirationsof the Republic of Albania and with theunconditional Albanian support for theMacedonian NAO membership aspira-tions. What is your view on the completedactivities of the Adriatic Charter (jointmedical team in ISAF, Afghanistan) andthe SEE process?Albania is understandingly an active sup-porter o NAO’s open door policy, giventhat two (Macedonia and Bosnia) o thecurrent three NAO aspirant countries(Macedonia, Bosnia and Georgia) arerom our region. Moreover, in view othe strategic importance o the WesternBalkans or NAO, as reconfirmed by theAlliance at the Wales summit (September2014), we believe that both NAO and theEU have unfinished work in the region. Inthis context, we actively support neighbor-ing Macedonia’s NAO membership assoon as the Bucharest condition on thename issue is met. At the same time, weencourage and support the continuationo reorm efforts within the country, par-

ticularly with a view to ensuring effectivedemocratic dialogue, media reedom, judi-cial independence, and a ully unctioningmulti-ethnic society based on ull imple-mentation o the Ohrid Framework Agree-ment, as clearly stipulated by the Alliedcountries at the NAO Summit in Wales.

All A-5 member countries, alongsideother NAO allies and partner countries,are offering their important contributionto the Resolute Support Mission in A-ghanistan. Such engagement, besides con-tributing to a stable Aghanistan, urtherdemonstrates our strong engagement to

H.E. Mr. Fatos REKA, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of theRepublic of Albania to the Republic of Macedonia

NATO AND EU HAVE UNFINISHED

WORK IN OUR REGION

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Your Excellency, as the AlternateSecretary General of the CentralEuropean Initiative (CEI) and a long-serving diplomat, can you tell ussomething more about the activities andachievements of this regional Europeaninitiative?

Te CEI is a unique organisation with abig potential or uture development. Eversince its establishment more than 26 yearsago, the CEI became the largest regionalintergovernmental organisation in Europecomprising 18 countries o Central,Eastern and South-Eastern Europe withdifferent status versus the EuropeanUnion: 10 EU members; 4 candidates;

contribute in protecting our undamental values and principles.

I would like to mention in particularAlbania’s recent political decision to con-tinue, alongside other NAO nations, withits current level o engagement in the Reso-lute Support Mission beyond 2016.

Te A-5 continues to play an important

role in urther strengthening regionalcooperation in the security domain. Suchcooperation is currently a precondition tosuccessully counter the evolving seriousthreats and challenges to regional and wid-er security. In this context, all countries othe region have to be included in and re-spectively contribute to this cooperation.

Te practical activities o our Charter,including joint exercises, also play an im-portant and complementary role in thecontext o preparatory work o the aspirant

countries towards NAO membership.

Since the early 1990s, the Balkan regionhas faced many political, security andeconomic challenges, but our two coun-tries have demonstrated that their part-nership is indeed strong in order to persistand thrive despite all ordeals. What secu-rity implications could the Balkan regionface in view of the ongoing refugee surgefrom countries affected by conflict?

Te emigration wave o reugees escap-ing the horrors o war has been indeed ounseen proportions or decades not only inour region but also on the entire continent.As such it surely represents probably thegreatest political, economic and securitychallenge or the entire continent. In thisregard cross-border cooperation is crucial

especially in terms o security. We are wellaware that extremists could penetrate theregion taking advantage o this surge oreugees. On the other hand, we could nev-er impede the application o the humani-tarian law based on the above-mentionedrisk. Hence, again cross-border coopera-tion in inormation sharing, and policeand intelligence cooperation will providea sound basis or preventive measureswithout keeping us rom providing thenecessary help and protection to reugees.

As you rightly mention, our region notlong ago was affected by massive migrationo people fleeing the horrors and atrocitiesin Bosnia and Kosovo, and it is exactly orthis reason that we empathize more thananyone else with the plight o the peopleescaping war.

For the Republic of Albania, 2015 was a year of successful diplomatic interac-tion, during which a lot of dynamic for-

eign policy activities have been conductedwithin the Euro-Atlantic framework. YourExcellency, in this regard, how importantis the Joint Declaration on U.S.-AlbaniaStrategic Partnership signed last year?Te Declaration on Strategic Partnershipwith the United States is o paramount im-portance or Albania and Albanian people.

In act, the strategic partnership with theU.S., although different in orm and shape,dates urther back to the beginning o the20th century. Indeed, all Albanians, wher-ever they are, cherish and value this strongalliance which bonds our two nations, andeven more so we treasure the assistance othe United States throughout the politicalprocess o our nation-building. Albaniaand the entire Albanian nation are andwill always remain a grateul and trustedally to the United States in the Balkans.

Te signing o the Strategic PartnershipDeclaration with the U.S. was rightly con-sidered a highlight o our oreign policyin 2015 and now we are moving to a newphase o implementation across a verybroad spectrum o priorities such as secu-rity, rule o law and energy. As Ms. Nulandtold our Foreign Minister Bushati the daythis Partnership was signed in WashingtonD.C., Albania and the U.S. are “kickingtheir relationship into a higher gear”.

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MACEDONIA IN FOCUS

H.E. Ms. Margot Klestil-Löffler, CEI Alternate Secretary General 

MACEDONIA DEMONSTRATED

OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP

AND DIPLOMATIC

PROFESSIONALISMDURING CEI PRESIDENCY

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1 potential candidate; and 3 countriesinvolved in the European NeighbourhoodPolicy. CEI covers a vast and diversifiedgeographical area connecting the Baltic,the Alps, the Adriatic-Ionian and the BlackSeas, with the Danube River as its naturalbackbone.

Te CEI is committed to supporting

European integration through thepromotion o regional cooperationbetween and among its Member States andwith the European Union, other publicand private institutions, international andregional organisations. Te CEI mission,working methodology, objectives andpriorities or cooperation are outlined inthe CEI Plan o Action, adopted by theHeads o Government on a plurennialbasis. In accomplishing its mission, it maycount on its long-lasting experience, strong

structures, flexible unds, creative projectsand above all on its commitment to use itsgreat potential in the context o the newchallenges.

Last but not least, the CEI has anobserver status in the UN GeneralAssembly and has a link with numerousother Regional and InternationalOrganisations as well as with InternationalFinancial Institutions. Te CEI has astrong link with the EBRD where it alsohas an Office or the CEI Fund, financedby Italy.

Since 1993, when it joined the CEI, theRepublic of Macedonia has been takingan active part in all regional initiatives.How do you assess the cooperation thatthe Ministry of Foreign Affairs has so farmaintained with the Central EuropeanInitiative?

We had an excellent cooperation with theMinistry o Foreign Affairs during last

 year’s Presidency. Macedonia provided

many new inputs and resh ideas that willserve as guidelines or the uture worko the organization. Te meetings o theMinisters or Foreign Affairs held in June2015 in Ohrid and in October 2015 inNew York, where Commissioner Hahnwas also present, were very successul interms o both participation and content.Te Presidency also undertook numerousimportant initiatives and organized anumber o events on important issues,which produced significant results. Just toname a ew, the International conerence“European Integration through Regional

Cooperation–Perspectives o Macro-Regional Strategies”, the Ministerialconerence “owards Climate Summitin Paris 2015” and the InternationalConerence “Migration and ReugeeFlows in ransit Countries: SecurityImplications”.

Te Macedonian Presidency has

also stepped up the cooperation in theramework o the CEI Business andParliamentary Dimensions, providingimportant impetus on the occasiono the very successully organizedBusiness Forum and the meetings o theParliamentary Committees and Assembly.Furthermore, the Macedonian Presidencystrengthened the role o the Enlarged CEIroika, composed o the Chairman-in-office, the ormer and the next Chairmanand the host country, which is a very useul

instrument particular in challenging timesahead.Last but not least, Macedonia has

contributed to the enhancement o theglobal visibility o the CEI, increasingurther the cooperation with the UN.Indeed, on the occasion o the UnitedNations Sustainable Development Summit2015, a Joint Statement o the CEI MemberStates to support the “2030 Agenda orSustainable Development”, initiated bythe Macedonian Presidency, was presentedand published as an official document

o the 70th Session o the UN GeneralAssembly. Te Macedonian Presidencyalso reinorced the regularity o thenetworking meetings, initiated by theprevious Austrian Presidency, between theCEI and other international and regionalorganisations in Vienna.

he conference titled “Migration andRefugee Flows in ransit Countries:Security Implications” was held inSkopje in December last year as part

of the Macedonian CEI Presidency in2015. What are your impressions of thisconference, especially in regard to themeasures taken to address the refugeecrisis?

Te Middle East and Arica reugeeand migrant crisis is one o the astestgrowing humanitarian emergenciesin the world. Some even predict that itmay become the worst humanitariandisaster o our time and the scale o thecrisis has put huge pressure especiallyon migrant route countries. In view o

this unprecedented crisis, European andinternational solidarity is now the ordero the day. International cooperation iscrucial and requires a differentiated and atthe same time comprehensive approach. Asupport to the transit countries in tacklingthe crisis and combating its broaderrepercussions such as radicalisation,

 violent extremism, terrorism and theoreign terrorist fighters phenomena is outmost importance.

We need to address the root causes ormigration and orced displacement. Wealso need to continue preventing the loss olie at sea by continued search and rescueefforts, while at the same time effectivelyfighting human trafficking and smugglingnetworks.

In this context, the cooperation withWestern Balkan States is crucial. No

state can address these challenges alone.Te role o regional cooperation in thisendeavour is o paramount importance.In act, the immediate reaction by theCEI Executive Secretariat, in agreementwith the Macedonian CEI Presidency, inlaunching a-first-o-its-kind ExtraordinaryCall or Proposals o the CEI CooperationFund or supporting activities aimed attackling the migrant crisis and the relatedsecurity issues should be underlined.

Tis being said, I really believe that joint efforts among the EU states, all ourcountries and the regional cooperationorganisations is o the highest importanceto cope with the new challenges, which wasalso underlined during the Conerence.

As a long-serving career diplomat,what is your view on the achievementsand ambitions of the Republic Macedoniain regard to its bid for joining the Euro-Atlantic structures?

Macedonia demonstrated outstanding

leadership and diplomatic proessionalismduring its CEI Presidency. As I havepreviously stressed, the prioritiesormulated by the Presidency and theactivities undertaken throughout the

 year, brought about a strong impetusto the work o our Organisation. I amconfident that, notwithstanding theinternal situation, with this positivetrend in increasing its visibility at aglobal level and vigorous commitment toregional cooperation, Macedonia deservesto be part o the larger European andinternational amily.

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MACEDONIA IN FOCUS

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“DIPLOMACY” SCREENED TO MARK ÉLYSÉE TREATY ANNIVERSARY

RUSSIAN CENTER OPENED IN SKOPJE

he Russian Center in Skopje aspart o Ss. Cyril and MethodiusUniversity was opened on 11 Januaryin cooperation with the Embassy o theRussian Federation and the RussianPeace Foundation. Tis institution opensup new possibilities or studying the

Russian language, reading Russian books,newspapers and magazines, watching Vshows, hosting exhibitions, educationaland scholarly meetings, and creativediscussions, and socializing.

Te opening ceremony was attendedby the Ambassador o the Russian

Federation to the Republic o Macedonia,Oleg Nikolayevich Shcherbak, CultureMinister Elizabeta Kančeska-Milevska,the Rector o Ss. Cyril and MethodiusUniversity, Velimir Stojkovski, and HisBeatitude Stean, the Archbishop o Ohridand Macedonia.

On the occasion o the 53rd anniversaryo the signing o the Élysée reaty,the Embassies o the Federal Republico Germany and the French Republicin Skopje, hosted the screening o the

film Diplomacy  at the Cinematheque oMacedonia on 21 January. AmbassadorsChristine Althauser and Laurence Aueraddressed the audience on this occasion.

Volker Schlöndorff’s film, starringAndré Dussollier, Niels Arestrup andBurghart Klaußner, was shot in 2014 andlast year it won the César Award or bestadaptation.

“Shakespeare Lives” is the name o theglobal initiative o the British Councilwith which the jubilee—400 years o thedeath o the greatest British poet andplaywright—will be marked this wholeyear. In the Republic o Macedonia,activities began in the middle o January

and will last all through the end o theyear.

“Shakespeare’s work is continuouslyrecreated and reinterpreted in all thelanguages and societies around theglobe. We have the antastic opportunitythis year together with the whole world

to organize a first-class celebrationo Shakespeare’s work, to present themodern, dynamic culture that is Britaintoday,” said the Ambassador o the UnitedKingdom o Great Britain and NorthernIreland to the Republic o Macedonia,Charles Garrett.

400 YEARS OF SHAKESPEARE’S DEATH MARKED

he staff at the Ministry o ForeignAffairs o the Republic o Macedoniadonated blood on 22 January during the6th blood donation drive that took place

on the premises o the Ministry. Tishumane initiative was staged as part o thetraditional cooperation that the Ministryo Foreign Affairs o the Republic o

Macedonia maintains with the Instituteo ransusion Medicine. By the oreseentimetable, the MFA staff hosts blooddonation drives twice a year.

MFA HOSTS SIXTH BLOOD DONATION DRIVE

13

DIPLOMACY AND COMMUNITY

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EXPERIENCE MACEDONIA

MARIOVO “AS I WALK

I ASK FOR DIRECTIONS FOR MARIOVO”

Mariovo is in the central part o the Republic o Macedonia.It is in the middle o the Crna Reka basin and is a specificnatural entity surrounded by the sprawling massis o Nidže andKožu to the south, Mt. Selečka to the west, Mt. Dren to the northand Kozjak together with Kožu ’s branches to the east. Mariovo,according to some authors, covers 1,000 sq. kilometers andaccording to others 1,390 sq. kilometers, which is our percent oMacedonia’s territory, at an altitude o a thousand meters abovesea level. Considering it is surrounded by mountains, it may beregarded as a valley. However, bearing in mind the manner inwhich its relie orms are arranged it is considered a plateau. Init is the longest gorge in Macedonia, the 100-km long SkočivirGorge along the Crna Reka river.

Because o its geographic location and its being surrounded by very high mountains, Mariovo is not easy to reach by road, whichis probably how the amous traditional song “As I walk I ask ordirections or Mariovo” came to existence.

Archaeologists say that in the distant past Mariovo wasinhabited by Tracians and Il lyrians, who were later assimilated

by the South-Slavic tribe Brsjaci and, according to somearchaeologists, the names o the places and geographic eaturesdate rom the time o the Slavic invasion.

In Mariovo it seems as i time has stopped. Te region is notyet ully explored. It has a thousand inhabitants populating the vil lages o Vitolište, Veprčani, Bešište, Živovo, Dunje, Kalen,Kokre, Kruševica, Manast ir, Peštani, Polčište, Čanište, Brnik,Budimirci, Gradešnica, Zovik, Iveni, Makovo, Staravina, Rapeš,Orle, Gruništa, Rožde, Galište and Majden.

Aside rom its geography and natural attractions, Mariovois also well known by the ethnographic characteristics o itsinhabitants, their local dialect and customs.

THE LEGENDS ABOUT MARIOVO Tere are many legends about the origin o the word Mariovo.One o them says that it derived rom the name o a very beautiulgirl Marija. She agreed to live in the urkish harem on condition

Photo: Off Road Macedonia

Panorama of Mariovo, near Manastir village.

Photo: Dzvonko Petrovski

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EXPERIENCE MACEDONIA

that the local bey did not Islamize the population o that region.She has thus saved her people rom orced conversion into Islamand rom building o mosques. In her honor, the place was cal ledMariovo.

Another legend says that the name Mariovo comes romthe belie that many centuries ago the place was under water asevidenced by the numerous rocks in the orm o a mussel shell.

Te region o Mariovo captures its visitors with its simplicityand mesmerizing nature. It is a trove o secrets, legends andcultural legacy. It is also the birthplace o one o the greatestMacedonian heroines – Kales Angja. It is in Mariovo that themost beautiul Macedonian traditional costume and the mostbeautiul traditional songs, myths and legends can be ound. Acuriosity is that the bridal t raditional costume weighs as many as48 kg.

When speaking about natural rarities, there is another legend,regarded to be the most interesting and most memorable despitethe act that there are no written records o it. It is the legend othe elusive grass o which a magic potion was made that gaveheroes the strength to deal with temptation and go through the

hardship o their personal initiation. According to the locals,the magic herb was called the elusive grass because only a selectew were able to pluck it. Te elusive grass, which looks quitemundane to the uneducated eye, was the ingredient o whichcharms were made that helped end off the evil. Te charms wereworn by soldiers in al l the wars ought in Mariovo and many othem escaped death thanks to the magic herb.

It is a popular belie that the people o Mariovo are veryresourceul, strong and hard-headed fighters against injustice.When speaking about their wisdom and perseverance, it isinevitable to mention one o the most memorable figures, theclever Itar Pejo. Tere are legends dating back to his time,according to which Pejo lived in the village o Gradešnica. Heenriched the Macedonian cultural legacy with his shrewdnessand clever tricks to which nobody has remained indifferent.Although he is a synonym o sagacity, in the region o Mariovo,no initiative has yet been launched or building a memorial inhis honor, which would also be a tourist attraction. Everythingthat is o va lue needs to be recognized and honored so it could beimprinted orever in the memory o the uture generations.

With all its attractions and historical figures, as a symbol oresistance, Mariovo could grow into a museum in which many oldand valuable manuscripts, artiacts rom the period o Antiquity,helmets, and flasks rom World War I would also be ex hibited.Te region is also significant because it was crossed by the Via

Egnatia, the road that the Romans built in the 2nd century BC.In Mariovo there are magnificent churches and monasteries.Only in Gradešnica they count ten and the Church o St. Dimitrijarom the 14th century is considered the oldest. In Staravina thereis a church o an unusual name – Donkey’s Church. It was builtby Bulgarians but because the locals reused to help them build it,the church was never finished and later became a shelter or the vil lage donkeys.

Marko Cepenkov wrote down many o the traditional songs,olk-tales, myths and legends that Mariovo is amous or. Tetypical local l ie and customs are also a recurrent theme in theworks o the Macedonian writer Stale Popov, a native o Mariovo.

MARIOVO’S ECONOMY AND 

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

Mariovo’s geography, climate and abundance o raw materialshave made the place a ertile soil or stock-breeding, arming,orestry and mining. Mariovo has always been amous or itsartisanal cheese (bieno sirenje) also known locally as “beatencheese”. Also, delicious and top-quality cheese, types o yellowcheese known as kaškaval and whey cheese (urda) are made osheep and goat milk. Mariovo’s terrain and waterway networkproved conducive to the development o hill and mountainarming, dominant crops being wheat, rye, barley and oat, andcorn being less present. Dominant vegetable crops are potatoesand beans. Smal l armers or their own needs also grow onion,garlic, cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes.

O the industrial crops, tobacco is also grown in a small area,in the Prilep villages o Kruševica, Vitolište, Dunje and Čanište.Te soil and climate are also ideal or orchards. Dominant ruitsare plums, sour cherries, quinces, apricots, peaches and walnuts.

Te many floral and grassy meadows, as well as the black pine,cornel tree, hazel and juniper woods make Mariovo the ideal spotor bee arming. Te renowned Mariovo honey was awarded agold medal at an exhibition in Bucharest in the late 1980s.

Forests in Mariovo cover 230,208 hectares, which is 26 percento all the orests in Macedonia. Woods in Mariovo consist mostlyo black and white pine – molika, especially on Mt. Nidže, beech,fir, oak (blagun), hornbeam, hazel, and urkey oak trees. Molika,Macedonian oak, wild hazelnut and Persian juniper are endemicspecies.

Te intensive geological development and the massive residueso the volcanic relie in Mariovo made the region rich in variousore, which triggered the growth o mining ever since the period oAntiquity and the early Middle Ages.

Mariovo has a huge hydro potential, too, thanks to the CrnaReka river with its tributaries Konjarka, Gradešnica, Vitoliškaand Blašnica. Te high water potential coupled with the regionbeing scarcely populated stand behind the idea o constructingthe Čebren and Galište hydroelectric power stations. However,all the Macedonian government’s international calls or bidsrom investors have so ar ailed. Te business opportunities thatMariovo offers in terms o ore deposits and natural attractions area good oundation or helping this region spring to lie again andimprove its catastrophic demographic trends. Tey a lso contributeconsiderably to the overall economic growth and progress o the

Republic o Macedonia.

Te Church of St. Nikola in the vil lage of Manastir,built in 1095 and reconstructed in 1271 (11th–13th centuries).

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he Symphony Orchestra o the Gustavus Adolphus College o the U.S.A. opened theconcert season in the Bitola Center o Culture.“Te beginning o the new year could not have been more beautiul given that in Bitola,

on 30 January, the Gustavus Symphony Orchestra o the U.S.A. perormed on our stage.We organized this event together with St. Clement o Ohrid University o Bitola and with itwe started our concert season,” said Borče Dimitrovski, Director o the Center o CultureNational Institution - Bitola.

GUSTAVUS

SYMPHONY

ORCHESTRA

PERFORMS IN BITOLA

Dojran has been proclaimed the City o Culture 2016, said the Ministry o Culture on 25January afer the competition in which Bitola, Berovo, Strumica, Dojran and etovoraced or the title closed.

Dojran’s program is a broad spectrum o concrete, quality and varied cultural eventso all kinds, projects that promote culture and cultural achievements with the younggeneration, activities that promote domestic works o art and domestic authors, projectsthat are products o cooperation with top artists and that present works o diverse stylesand genres. Te program is also enriched with all the traditional estivals and events to beorganized this year under City o Culture 2016 flag.

DOJRAN CITY OF

CULTURE 2016

he latest issue o the oldest British magazine or translated literature Modern Poetry inranslation o January this year closes with Nikola Madžirov’s poem “Silence Comesrom Somewhere Else”, a tribute to the distinguished translators o Macedonian into English,Peggy and Graham Reid, who passed away in Edinburgh last year.

Te magazine was established in 1965 by the laureate o the Struga Poetry Evenings, edHughes, and specializes in translation o contemporary world poetry.

Graham and Peggy Reid, Proessors o English at Ss. Cyril and Methodius University andprolific translators, promoted Macedonian literature or many years through their Englishtranslations. For their translation work, they received recognition and numerous awards.

MODERN POETRY

IN TRANSLATION

PUBLISHES POEM BY

MADŽIROV

EXPERIENCE MACEDONIA