Macedonia is facing a new round of ethnic unrest today, after police reported they had wiped out a group of “ethnic Albanian terrorists” in a Saturday gunbattle that left 22, including eight police, killed.
The police arrived in force in an ethnic Albanian neighborhood on Saturday, and seized control after getting into a battle with what they described as a “particularly dangerous terrorist group” made up of former Kosovar rebels.
All told, eight police were killed and 37 others wounded in the day-long battle, and some 20 of the gunmen were captured. Their identities are unclear, but the police claimed several have international arrest warrants.
This is the latest in a series of incidents in Macedonia. Last month, a group of Kosovars seized a police station along the northern border, demanding the creation of an Albanian state inside Macedonia which would grant the ethnic Albanians more rights.
The Macedonian government seems keen to resolve the situation to get its efforts to join the EU and NATO back on track, and is apparently hoping the Saturday battle will be a decisive victory ending the dispute.
The mess just goes on.
The reason for this is destruction of the plan of the Gas line from Turkey through Greece , Macedonia, Serbia and Hungary to Europe. If Macedonia and later Serbia are shown as not stable, the project of Russian gas supply via different route will be in jeopardy ….
This is about the Turkish gas (Turkish Stream) pipeline from Russia which Bulgaria,EU and US apposes, so hit Macedonia with terror and chorus line of statement will come from Bulgaria and US asking the Macedonian president to resign soon, They will do this to every country maybe in Greece and Turkey to stop this pipeline.it is all about that
The problem with Macedonia is that it is an artificial entity created by Tito after WWII. Like Kosovo, the territory was acquired by Serbia from Turkey in 1913 but Serbs make up only about 2% of the population. Albanians make up 25% and Macedonians 64%. There is a debate going back to the 19th century as to whether Macedonians are a seperate ethnic group or are just a regional variant of Bulgarians (like the Ruthenian/Ukrainian debate!). In the longer term, like Kosovo and, indeed, Bosnia, partition along ethnic lines is probably the only solution, with each ethnic group joining its fellows (or not, as it wishes).
What do you mean by 'macedonia and Serbia were acquired by Turkey in 1913?
The Turkey was a bloody occupier of the Balkans. as was Germany occupier and lost. you are wrong.
"In the longer term, like Kosovo and, indeed, Bosnia, partition along ethnic lines is probably the only solution, with each ethnic group joining its fellows (or not, as it wishes)."
Hmm, weren't you among the people insisting Crimea's referendum was illegal and the eastern Ukrainian's are "terrorists?" Neoconservatives like yourself have redefined cognitive dissonance.
Thankyou for the insight I am of Macedonian background and can say your comments are ignorant and nothing but a standard line shared by all its neighbours who deny Macedonian Statehood
Macedonia has a long and established path to Independence it wasn't merely created and the Macedonian identity is real
If you dispute that is your issue and neither do Macedonians need to discuss or debate it with you
I object your observations"' the Kosovo and Macedonia was acquired by Serbia from the Turkey.''.
These parts of south Slavs were LIBERATED from the Turkey after 5 century of slavery.