Full Coverage: Macedonia (FYROM)

30.03.2006 Macedonian media paid the greatest attention to Macedonian relations with Kosovo and the Hague Tribunal (ICTY), as well as the EU initiative to create a free trade zone in the Balkans. These were the conclusions of the February 2006 “Media Mirror” report, prepared under the programme for qualitative monitoring of the media in Macedonia.

29.03.2006 The policy study Macedonian Clothes for Europe, prepared by the Center for Research and Policy Making, offers a general analysis of the clothing sector in Macedonia. It does so by looking both at a crucial sector (clothes or apparel production) and at trends in one of MacedoniaÂ’s seven regions (Eastern Macedonia).

29.03.2006 The World Economic Forum, in cooperation with INSEAD, published the “Networked Readiness Index” of the Global Information Technology Report 2005-2006.

29.03.2006 The Skopje United Nations Association (SUNA) presented yesterday several concrete proposals for changes in the Draft-Law on Donation and Sponsorship in the Public Domain.

24.03.2006 According to the information collected by the Union of WomenÂ’s Organizations of Macedonia (SOZM), the trafficking in human beings in the country has increased over the past several years.

24.03.2006 The IMOR – Interactive Network for Education and Resources started its new Local Self-Government in Your Community project, which aims to involve the youth in the development of their respective local communities.

21.03.2006 On the occasion of March 21, the Spring Day, the EcologistsÂ’ Movement of Macedonia (DEM) presented its Annual Awards for 2005 and announced the start of the campaign for collection and recycling of plastic bottles and containers, organized under its activities to protect and conserve the environment.

21.03.2006 The Directors of national and university libraries from B&H, Serbia, Slovenia, Montenegro and Macedonia, signed the joint Strategy for Quicker Access to New European Library, accelerated digitalization of valuable texts and increased exchange of experience and information under the auspices of the KOBIS Electronic Network for Library Data.

16.03.2006 The Association of Independent Electronic Media – ANEM strongly protested and condemned the attack on the reporters and camera crew of its member B92 TV.

16.03.2006 The Eko-svest (Eco Awareness) environmental organizations presented its comparative analysis of GMO (genetically modified organisms) related legislation, prepared under the Macedonia – GMO Free Zone project, financially supported by Milieukontakt.

15.03.2006 Macedonia needs the cleanest, most fair and democratic elections so far. The NGOs also have responsibility for the future, for failed elections may postpone the European integrations for Macedonia. Therefore, it is adamant that as many people turn out at the ballot stations and demonstrate the new trends for development of the country.

13.03.2006 Nearly two thirds of Macedonian citizens feel the need for a local television station. At the same time, they believe that the financing should come from the state, i.e. municipal budget. Over a half of the citizens are not prepared to secure funds from the family budget to finance local media, although 79 percent of them said they need local information.

12.03.2006 Alvaro Hil Roblens the Human Rights commissioner in the Council of Europe recently in Strasburg presented a report on the Roma rights in Europe. The endangerment of this ethnical population was practically the life motive that went through in all the tones of the report. The main word was about the 10 million Roma in the member countries of the Council of Europe.

09.03.2006 The Najdi!, the oldest and the best Macedonian search engine launched the start of its Najdi! Kniga (Find A Book!) search engine for books and periodicals published in Macedonia.

06.03.2006 Veles is the first Macedonian municipality to delegate competences to civic associations. This decision was adopted the 16th session of Veles Municipal Council, and is the first decision of this type since the start of the process of decentralization.

03.03.2006 Several thousands of workers laid off as redundant from companies that declared bankruptcy protested on Wednesday in front of municipal buildings in several cities and towns in Macedonia.

01.03.2006 H.E.R.A. – Health Education and Research Association came out in public today with strong condemnation of the manner in which the Macedonian daily newspapers covered the death of an HIV positive patient.

01.03.2006 A recent survey conducted by the Media Development Centre and implemented by the Institute for Sociological Political and Juridical Research shows taht the Macedonian citizens watch the news on television and listen to music on radio.

01.03.2006 The Foundation Open Society Institute Macedonian (FOSIM) and Skopje Office of the World Bank, presented the Youth in Action: Financial and Technical Assistance for Youth NGOs Youth Oriented Projects programme.