Author Archive

Macedonia and Greece are neighbors and political foes. They have politically “disliked” each other (to put it mildly) since 1991 when Macedonia became independent. Tension between these two countries peaked back in 1994 when Macedonia was subject to a trade embargo from Greece. At the same time, from 1992 to […]

Macedonians know that hardly any foreigner will learn Macedonian.  It is the language of only two million people so mastering it doesn’t bring all that many benefits. Macedonians also know that there are many more opportunities out there than on the 25,713 km2 patch which they inhabit. So they put […]

Look at any TV report about a business forum in Macedonia, a chamber of industry and commerce convention, a government session, a high level political meeting or a conference of municipal mayors* – and what do you see? You see that there are almost no women there! Then listen to […]

Independent Macedonia was established 22 years ago. I was 10 years old that year in 1991, when on the 8 of September around 12 pm my parents took me to the national gathering in the city square “Marshal Tito” in Skopje to celebrate the results of that day’s referendum in favour of Macedonia’s independence. I […]

When the financial crisis hit the Western world, a saying spread throughout Macedonia: ‘We can’t be hit by the crisis, we’re always in crisis’ This was very true at the time. The financial crisis of 2007-2008 brought the collapse of powerful financial institutions and caused a downward spiral in the […]