Author: aleksandra dukovska

Assembly of North Macedonia Initiated Legislative Procedure to Amend Constitution


by Aleksandra Dukovska in Skopje

Members of the Assembly of North Macedonia have initiated the legislative procedure to amend the Constitution, a necessary step to progress towards EU integration. With 70 votes in favor and 47 against, the MPs have opened the floor for discussions in the next 10 days. According to the Constitution, a two-thirds majority is required for the Assembly to proceed to the next phase of the process.

The opposition says the Government has no power and further claims that the proposed changes are under “Bulgarian dictate.” Members of the Parliament from the VMRO-DPMNE and their coalition partners requests an early elections. The entire block of the Albanian parties, including government partner DUI voted in favor for the inclusion of Bulgarians into the Constitution.

The further steps are whether to speed up the path toward the EU or to “face isolation.” Prime Minister Kovachevski says, the proposed changes are “developed in Skopje.”

Negotiation framework agreed in July 2022 is a document of the European Commission and supported by the EU Council. Overall, the EU accession of North Macedonia after the amendments to the Constitution is supported by the EU and the US.

Kovachevski addressed the issues of the Macedonian identity, language and history “are protected.” For the sake of the young generation, he called to a vote.

After the debates on the proposal concluded, the Assembly Speaker Talat Xhaferi said he would further inform the MPs and the public about when the session will continue.

After 10 days, the Assembly should vote in favor or against the opening of the procedure, which requires 80 votes. For the draft amendments the Government needs 61 votes. Then the public debate should follow, and for the final voting the Government will need 80 votes.

What is the Government proposal?

The intervention in the Constitution refers to adding parts of nations to the Preamble and articles 49 and 78 of the Constitution, when listing the parts of nations in the country.

In the formulation: “The citizens of the Republic of North Macedonia, the Macedonian people, a part of the Albanian people, the Turkish people, the Vlach people, the Serbian people, the Roma people, the Bosniak people, and others,” after the term “Bosniak people,” a comma is placed, and the following is added: the Bulgarian people, the Croatian people, the Montenegrin people, the Slovenian people, the Jewish people, and the Egyptian people.

Accordingly, a change has been made in the Committee for Relations between Communities to preserve the parity of representatives in the Parliament.

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MakeDox Will Simmer Video Editing in Layers for Rich Documentary Narratives


by Aleksandra Dukovska

At a news conference at the Youth Cultural Center in Skopje, Petrula Veljanovska (L), Darko Nabakov (M), and Sara Ferro (R) explained 2023 program of the festival. For documentary filmmakers this year festival will pass in light of video editing, and workshops on video editing.

It is summer in Skopje and for the 14th edition of MakeDox everything is ready for a week of screenings, discussions, and workshops. The MakeDox, creative documentary film festival, encourages cross-cultural dialogues, exchange of ideas, and knowledge. It showcases documentaries from different corners of the globe, and presents individual stories that make approachable to the visitors, tourists, amateurs, and professionals to dive into cultures, social landscapes, human experience, traditions, and political situations.


At the news conference the executive director of the festival, Darko Nabakov, Petrula Veljanovska, member of the programming team, and Sara Ferro from “MakeCoProDocs” forum addressed reporters and media. This year festival will have more than 100 foreign guests, professionals from documentary world. The main focus of the festival is video editing, and how to achieve “layers of the documentary narrative,” said Veljanovska.

Thus, we choose Denmark as a Country in Focus with 12 Danish features. MakeDox invited famous Danish video editor Jesper Osmund for a workshop, added Veljanovska, pointing out that the Danish films are “well crafted” in editing process. Osmund worked on documentaries, including Becoming Zlatan. He will guide four students, which projects are in the phase of post-production.


The opening of the festival will be on August 17 with Above the mine by Theo Audoire and Lova Karlsson. After this short documentary the public will see Dancing Pina, directed by Florian Heinzen-Ziob. It is a story on Pina Bausch’s The Rite of Spring, which gathers 38 dancers from 14 countries. Famous dancer Bausch created this for Stravinsky.
The screenings of MakeDox are divided into Main Program, Country in Focus, Student Documentaries, New Comers, Short Documentary, and Kids and Youth.


On August 21, the public will see the screening of Macedonian premiere of the Body film by director Petra Seliškar. The film will have a world premiere in Sarajevo, and the crew will arrive to MakeDox, explained Veljanovska. Another movie she extracted from the rich programme of about 70 documentaries in the five categories is Against the tide, an Indian and French co-production. It is important that two Macedonians, Atanas Georgiev and Blagoja Nedelkovski, who are directors, participated in the creation of the movie.


Nabakov pointed out five students from Europe and Balkans will have mentors to develop their movies. Ferro talked on two masterclasses with the Serbian director Mila Turaljic and Croatian editor and professor of the Zagreb’s Faculty for Drama Arts Vladimir Gojun. The masterclasses will be on August 19 – 20 at the Daut Pasha Hammam. The classes will also dive into work of personal cameraman of Josip Broz Tito, Stevan Labudovic.


MakeDox tries to serve as a lounchpad for the newcomers enabling them to showcase their work to professionals, and to connect among themselves.

Here is the video highlights of the news conference.

The festival uses documentary to drive changes, create awareness, and to inspire action into positive change.


MakeDox uses creative documentary to anticipate possible dialogue even in the situation that looks like impossible. The screenings are in Kurshumli an, on the Plato, Youth Cultural Center, and Suli an will be a new location for an open-air cinema.

Based on MakeDox PR text, personal reporting, and writing.

Full program here: http://makedox.mk/mk/en/festival/film-program/: MakeDox Will Simmer Video Editing in Layers for Rich Documentary Narratives
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Gender in Classical Terms Remains Inviolable for Religious Communities


Skopje June 30,2023 Time: 10:06 a.m. CEST

With the sounds of “A prayer,” a song by Mile and Gjorgi Barbarovski, a popular folk ballad from the 90s that appeals to the collective consciousness, the Holy Synod of Bishops of the MOC-OA, some of the political parties and religious persons expressed their “no” to the proposed amendments to the laws on gender equality and civil registration.

On the stage and under private security, the MOC Synod sent a message that even in a secular society, religion and its views “must have a place”.

The archbishop of the MOC, Mr. Stefan pointed out to the legislators that the church has nothing against the “secular mentality” of an individual or society. He asked rhetorically whether in such a society the church should be “excommunicated.”

Among the representatives of other religions, only the bishop of the Catholic Church, Kiro Stojanov, was present on the stage. The Islamic Religious Community did not stand on the same stage because of the Kurban Bayram holiday, although they previously indicated that they were not “in favor” of the proposed legislative changes.

In the light of the announced legislative process, for which the proposers of the laws, MPs from the liberal and social-democratic spectrum still search support among their colleagues, the church renewed its views on the changes in education to reflect gender equality.

Mr. Stefan pointed out that “teaching sheets” promoting “homosexuality” and “same-sex marriage” are distributed in schools without the parents’ consent.

For a long time, the church has been leading a dispute with the processes that are being conducted through certain ministries for greater gender equality, changes in textbooks, defining what is a “parent”, “mother” or “father.”

The head of the MOC appealed to stop the “mutilation”, as he said, of the educational system with “gender” ideology and “sexualization” of children. Even some of those present at this first MOC protest of this kind displayed a banner with the content “keep your hands away from our children”.

The protest was peaceful. The Union of Women of VMRO-DPMNE and part of the parliamentary group of this party attended the gathering. Academic Katica Kuljafkova, whose specialty is linguistics, was on the stage together with the clergy.

The introduction of the “transgender” identity is problematic to her, and the law on gender equality cannot be “consistent and sustainable.”

“In the law itself, the categories ‘sex’ and ‘gender’ are mixed up,” said Kjulafkova.

It was evident at the gathering that the church is no stranger to technological advances or social media. The hashtag #ИмамеДолжност (We have a position) was clearly printed on the stage, and nuns took pictures of the attendees with mobile phones.

However, the religious dogma clearly emphasized that it is against everything that signifies “difference” from the classical portrayal of the “family.”

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Erdogan People’s Alliance Leads in Türkyie Elections. Run-off Vote Possible on May 28


7:20 p.m. CEST Update: May 15, 2023 6:21 a.m. CEST

Preliminary results from Türkyie’s presidential election reflected incumbent Recep Tayyip Erdogan leads with 49,34% percent to his challenger Kemal Kilicdaroglu who has 45% percent, reports Türkyie state owned TRT World.

Kiliçardoglu warned Erdogan late-last night from CHP headquarters. With turnout of above 88%, Türkyie elections are in spotlight. The run-off vote is possible for presidential elections as parliamentary concluded last night.

Both sides claimed victory in the presidential elections, including Kiliçdaroglu. Erdogan addressed his supporters from Ankara.

Turks voted in high turnout in important presidential and parliamentarian elections across the country including nonvivable Antakya devastated after February 6, 2023, earthquake.

The vote should guide this NATO country of 85 millions how to deal with everyday cost-of-living crisis, balance between religion and secular believes, or to shape different foreign policy. It could introduce another decade of Recep Tayyip Erdogan.


Over 30 political parties and 150 independent candidates participated at parliamentary elections and competed for the votes of 64 million registered voters. Five blocs of several parties are running. Coalitions of People’s Alliance, Nation Alliance, Ancestral Alliance, Labor and Freedom Alliance, and Union of Socialist Forces Alliance.


Erdogan, 69 denies he is turning to a dictator, claims he will remain respectful to democracy. A veteran of multiple election victories, Erdogan looks after another victory to the elections as in previous election cycles.


The political challenger to Erdogan is Kemal Kilicdaroglu who unites alliance of six opposition parties. The coalition includes Republican’s People Party (CHP) by Türkyie founder Mustafa Kemal Atartuk.


Kiliçardoglu tried in several general elections as the candidate of CHP’s. Erdogan won in each of that political confrontations. Kiliçardoglu proclaims he supports human rights, transparency, and economic inequality. He is born on December 17,1948, in Nazimiye.


The Türkyie’s Supreme Election Council confirmed on Saturday will count the votes of Muharrem Ince who withdrew of the race.


Türkyie is a member of international organizations: NATO, the UN, and G20. This Muslim populated country counts as a bridge between Europe and Asia. The challenges Türkyie faces are political tensions, regional conflicts, rising inflation. Türkyie economy potential has its roots in industrial and agriculture. It is democratic and secular Republic.


Ataturk fought and established the country in 1923. The reforms he introduced formed and led to a secular government system, political and social changes.

This is developing story. Will be updated accordingly.

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Who was Boris Trajkovski?


aleksandra dukovska
A widow of a former President Boris Trajkovski Vilma Trajkovska and his daughter Sara watch his grave at Skopje cemetery on February 26, 2023. Trajkovski, who was president of then Republic of Macedonia, members of his Cabinet, and flight of the government King Air 200 Z3-BAB plane died on February 26, 2004. The plane crash took nine lives, including six members of the state institutions, and two crew members.

The plane, which headed to Sarajevo crashed near Mostar, over Rotimlje in early hours that winter. The President Trajkovski traveled to a peace conference in Sarajevo.

His career begin as a deputy minister in one of the governments of VMRO-DPMNE, when at a news conference in Skopje responded to the claims in global media for mishandling Kosovo refugees. Then, when NATO stroke over Kosovo and Slobodan Milosevic’s Serbia large number of refugees arrived at the border of then Macedonia.

The fragile democracy had fears of 300.000 refugees. The domestic press and media greeted controversial statement. Nevertheless, the statement paved the way for his presidency starting in 1999.

Boris Trajkovski led the country in 2001, when a conflict between NLA fighters and the state police and army forces happened.

Trajkovski signed Ohrid Framework Agreement, which led not only to changes into Constitution of then Republic of Macedonia, introducing greater rights to Albanians, but also created way for the protection of others ethnicities where Albanians are in majority.

Sudden death of the president and other state employees in 2004 prolonged the important developments between the country and the European Union.

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