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Behind the scenes: Chinese influence in North Macedonia

(Main photo: Commercial for the Belt and Road Initiative in one of the Macedonian trains purchased from China reading “Speed up the Belt initiative, Charming Macedonia") It took North Macedonia only a few years to dramatically change its bilateral relationship with China. In 1999, it...

Without an access ramp to the cafeteria in Stiv Naumov dormitory in Skopje, a student in wheelchair was forced to eat alone in his room

In the cold and rainy periods, I was waiting in the rain in front of the cafeteria building for one of the kitchen staff to get me my meal and come back. If there was an access ramp, I would have gone myself into...

Мacedonian and Bulgarian university with a historic Russian connection will “produce” MAs in Sveti Nikole

The result of the public-private partnership between the State Bulgarian University from Veliko Tarnovo “Ss. Ss. Cyril and Methodius” (VTU) and the Macedonian private International Slav University (MSU) is the offer of master studies for Macedonian students taught by Bulgarian professors. Apart from educational...

The construction of the 5G network brings the demise of the Chinese domination in North Macedonia’s telecommunications

“Makedonski Telekom” (Macedonian Telecom) and “A1 Makedonija” (A1 Macedonia) telecoms are currently modernizing their complete mobile telephony infrastructure and working on the implementation of their 5G networks in North Macedonia. Unlike all the previous instances of a technological makeover, North Macedonia as a member...

e-Society.mk annual conference opened, cyber resilience for freedom and security in focus

(This content is a translation of the original article in Macedonian, published on the 6th of December 2022) Metamorphosis Foundation for the 18th time organized the international e-Society.mk conference, which started on the 6th of December. The two-day conference in the Marriott hotel in Skopje...

DEBATE Growing Chinese influence in North Macedonia, while the citizens are dreaming of China as an economic giant

The direct investments in the economy, infrastructure, telecommunications, media, the academic cooperation with universities and the operations of the “Confucius” institutes are strategic instruments of the Chinese influence, not only in North Macedonia, but in other countries as well. Macedonian media do not report...

Minister Bekteshi’s promise to ban the import of vehicles below EURO 5 standard is unfulfilled

(This content is a translation of the original article in Macedonian, published on the 6th of December 2022) The statement of Kreshnik Bekteshi, the Minister of Economy of North Macedonia, given at the end of January 2021 that by the end of the last year...

While the citizens of North Macedonia breathe pollution, diesel consumption breaks all records [Infographic]

The “competition” of Skopje and the other cities in North Macedonia in breaking the world records for air pollution has commenced. While the data from “Iqair” indicates that Skopje is at the top of the world list of air pollution, together with the Asian...

North Macedonia’s Inclusion Festival reminds: People with disabilities deserve a lot more

The attendees at the Inclusion Festival that took place last week in Skopje, North Macedonia, couldn't stop their tears from falling. Their tears also dropped with hilarity when after the workshop for creative expression and the workshop for communication skills for persons with or...

“The Countryside” in Rankovce is the first horse therapy ranch in North Macedonia

Spending time with animals fills oneself with positive energy, cures disease, and saves lives. Therapy methods involving horses, dogs, and cats have been long known all over the world. Since recently, the Countryside ranch in Rankovce Municipality, in the northeast of North Macedonia is...

Buying Russian gas through a Bulgarian gas pipeline – so far the best solution for the tepid radiators in Skopje

So far, the Government of North Macedonia doesn't have any stable option for buying gas for the central heating system in the capital Skopje, apart from purchasing gas from the Russian state company Gazprom through the gas pipeline from Bulgaria to Kumanovo. But, seeing...

The young aren’t a priority for the municipalities – the implementation of the Law on youth participation in North Macedonia insufficient

Expired deadlines and complacent municipalities - this is how the implementation of the Law on youth participation and youth policies in North Macedonia can be described in brief. Only 12% of the municipalities in North Macedonia have formed local youth councils, although they were obliged...

Let’s feed the economies, not the landfills – how the food banks help in the fight against hunger?

Let's feed the economies, not the landfills. This is the motto of the Food Bank Macedonia, which for 12 years has been fighting tirelessly against dumping food as waste and against hunger in North Macedonia. Meta.mk talked with Dushko Hristov, founder and general manager...

In NMacedonia, state institutions without web sites and social networks presence, but with press officers “who are on vacation”

The levels of transparency and accountability of the state institutions in North Macedonia vary widely. Some of the state organs rank high on the list of accountable institutions, and are even among the best in the region, while others are at the bottom of...

The food banks in Portugal can feed up to 4% of the total population

Portugal has over 10 million citizens and even 21 food banks, which can feed up to 4% of this EU member country's total population. Their main goal is to fight against throwing all kinds of food as waste and to divert the secured surplus...

High price for the highways loan, China remains in North Macedonia constructing even with European money

North Macedonia obtained a loan from the Exim Bank of China for the construction of the highways Kičevo - Ohrid, and Miladinovci - Štip, and now we are repaying the loan installments expensively due to the record strengthening of the US dollar against the...

Lake Prespa loses its water and dies out, protection measures to be implemented within the next six years

The wide sandy beaches of Lake Prespa in the very south of the Republic of North Macedonia are ideal for tourists in the summer months, but only until the visitors decide to replace sunbathing with swimming in the lake. Silt, algae, muddy and shallow...

China encroaches North Macedonia’s railroad sector [infographics]

The saying "Slow but steady wins the race" maybe is the simplest explanation of China's slow entry into the North Macedonia's railroad sector in the past several years. From the takeover of the Piraeus Port in neighboring Greece, through the purchase of locomotives and...

Young people in North Macedonia wait for appointment at psychologist’s office for two months

The primary and secondary school pupils, but also the undergraduate students in North Macedonia, should have access to free counseling centers, where they will be able to discuss their problems and talk freely about everything which is bothering them. This is the conclusion from...

North Macedonia: Abuse of personal data of mobile phone subscribers in marketing campaigns

The holidays always represent an opportunity for sales companies to conduct various marketing campaigns for their products. So, they will often call "by random choice" potential customers to offer vouchers and attractive discounts. But it isn't clear how they manage to find the subscribers'...