Detailed History of Macedonia:
Current Events

Quick Summary of Macedonian History	Brief
Ancient - Modern	Brief	Detailed
Early 20th Century	Brief	Detailed
1945-’92 From Yugoslav Republic to Independence	Brief	Detailed
’93-’98 Growing Pains	Brief	Detailed
’99-’00 Rumors of Rebellion	Brief	Detailed
’01 Open Rebellion	Brief	Detailed
’02- Reconstruction	Brief	Detailed

Balkan History •

Bullets mark important dates included on the brief history pages.

’01 Open Rebellion

The Democratic Party of Albanians (DPA) staged a large protest in Skopje ( ) against the violence.

The NLA shelled Tetovo ( ) town square and German and Macedonian army barracks. The fighting spread from there.

A large demonstration was held in Skopje ( ) urging tougher action against the rebels.

Macedonia tanks entered Tetovo ( ), and mortars shelled rebel positions. The Government gave the rebels an ultimatum to surrender or face an all-out attack.

The refugee agency, UNHCR, stated that 22,000 ethnic Albanians had fled the conflict.

Apr - Many ethnic Albanian shops and homes in the southern town of Bitola ( ) were burned prior to the funerals of Macedonian soldiers killed and mutilated by the rebels.

May - The major Macedonian parties formed a national unity coalition to address minority grievances. Despite this, the rebels continued fighting.

Jun - More ethnic Albanian shops, homes, and a mosque in Bitola ( ) were burned before the funerals of more Macedonian soldiers killed by the rebels.

Parliament did not obtain enough votes to declare war.

Rebels took Aračinovo /ara-CHI-no-voe/ a village northeast of Skopje ( ), close to the airport and threatened to shell the city and the airport.

The police began to mobilize men of fighting age in Skopje ( ).

The Macedonian army made a hard push and surrounded the rebels in Aričinovo. NATO evacuated the rebels in air-conditioned buses without disarming them, provoking violent protests in Skopje ( ).

The government halted another offensive against the rebels near Skopje ( ) after “acrimonious” talks with EU officials.

Mobilized men with guns and other protesters besieged the parliament building in anger against perceived leniency toward the rebels. President Boris Trajkosvki made a national appeal for peace.

UNHCR stated that 100,000 people have been displaced.

Jul - A riot broke out in Skopje ( ), resulting in many broken windows and burned cars.

13 Aug - The Macedonian government and the rebels signed a peace pact promising greater recognition of ethnic Albanian rights.

Sep - NATO initiated the month-long Operation Essential Harvest to disarm rebels, exceeding the target of 3,300 weapons, however many of the weapons were old and/or useless. Peaceful protests were held in front of the parliament building mocking the disarmament.

Oct - The government announced that amnesty would be granted to former NLA members who laid down their arms.

A new rebel group formed and made territorial claims.

The Macedonian police began entering villages formerly controlled by ethnic Albanian rebels using a 50-50 mix of ethnic Albanians and ethnic Macedonians, which is still higher than the national percentages, but lower than the percentages in these areas. They were (and still are) hindered by the new rebel group.

Nov - After much delay and serious ceasefire violations from both rebels and the police, Parliament approved constitutional reforms required by the August peace pact.

The Social Democrat Party of Macedonia (SDSM, formerly the Communist Party) broke the national unity coalition, claiming that their party could not work with all the corruption within the coalition.

Dec - Parliament missed the deadline for approving a new law giving more power to local governments, another part of the peace deal signed in August. This law was required before the EU would hold an aid conference that had already been postponed.

After 2 years of drought and heavy water usage, the water supply for Prilep ( ) ran dry. Water rationing lasted several months afterward.

’02- Reconstruction

Jan ’02 - Parliament gave more power to local governments in order to improve ethnic Albanian status.

Feb ’02 - Parliament signed an amnesty agreement for former National Liberation Army (NLA) members who gave up their weapons during Operation Essential Harvest.

Yugoslavia and Macedonia, backed by the EU & NATO, renewed their agreement concerning the Kosovo border.

Mar ’02 - A donors aid conference in Brussels promised more than $500M in aid for rebuilding of homes, infrastructure, police, and economy.

A 3-year agreement was signed for Yugoslavia to become “Serbia and Montenegro”. The Montenegran president countered a referendum showing strong support for independence stating that independence could harm Balkan stability and their nation of 615,000 people would not have enough strength to enter the EU or the global marketplace. Serbia's 10 million people would maintain a route to the Adriatic Sea. Both members agreed to maintain their separate economies, currencies, and customs services. At the end of the three years, each republic will vote on secession

26 Mar ’02 - Fighting broke out between the NLA and the primary splinter group after a party election.

24 Apr ’02 - A 5.1 magnitude earthquake near Priština in Kosovo swayed buildings in Skopje ( ) for 30-40 seconds, resurrecting memories of the 1963 earthquake that leveled much of Skopje.

May ’02 - NATO extended the peacekeeping mission, Task Force Fox (TFF), and mandated 700 troops to stay until late October.

Jun ’02 - Parliament made Albanian an official language.

Aug ’02 - Two police officers were killed in a drive-by shooting. The suspects were arrested, resulting in the kidnapping of five Macedonians along the highway between Tetovo ( ) and Gostviar. The kidnappers threatened to kill the captives if the suspects were not released. Police and army vehicles lined up along the highway as a show of force, and the police refused to let the suspects go. The kidnappers later released the captives anyway.

15 Sep ’02 - Relatively peaceful and honest Parliamentary elections give SDSM 60 of 120 seats, taking control of the Parliament from VMRO-DPMNE, and formed a coalition with DUI (Democratic Union for Integration, lead by Ali Ahmeti, former leader of the rebel forces).
Branko Crvenkovski name Prive Minister (PM).

Oct ’02 - NATO again extended TFF.

Nov ’02 - National census was held and international monitors deemed it “fair and unbiased.”

Mar ’03 - EU troops took over peacekeeping duties from NATO.

Feb ’04 - President Boris Trajkovski and entourage killed in suspicious plane crash on approach to Mostar, Bosnia and Hercegovina.

Apr ’04 - Branko Crvenkovski (Prime Minsiter) elected president.

Jun ’04 - Hari Kostev (Interior Minister) named Prime Minister.

Aug ’04 - Redistricting policy which gave ethnic minorities a greater voice approved by Parliament despite protests.

Nov ’04 - Referendum to repeal the redistricting policy failed due to low turnout.

Nov ’04 - PM Hari Kostev resigned in protest against the corruption among the Ministers and Members of Parliament.

Mar ’05 - First local elections since redistricting.

Dec ’05 - Macedonia made a formal candidate for membership in the EU.

Jul ’06 - VMRO-DPMNE returns to power in the Parliament after the safest and fairest elections to date.