for Macedonia
Brief History:
Ancient
Modern
Recent
City Info:
Skopje
Bitola
Ohrid
Strumica
Other Cities
Mala Prespa
Villages
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Brief History of Macedonia:
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| 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 |
’01 Open Rebellion
Mar - The National Liberation Army (NLA) shelled Tetovo (
) town square and German and Macedonian army barracks. The fighting spread from there.
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.
May - The major Macedonian parties formed a coalition to address minority grievances. Despite this, the rebels continued fighting.
Jun - 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 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.
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.
Nov - After much delay and serious ceasefire violations from both rebels and the police, Parliament approved constitutional reforms required by the August peace pact.
’02- Reconstruction
Yugoslavia and Macedonia, backed by the EU & NATO, renewed their agreement concerning the Kosovo border.
24 Apr ’02 - A 5.1 magnitude earthquake near Priština, 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 - Parliamentary elections passed relatively peacefully and honestly. SDSM took control of the Parliament from VMRO-DPMNE by taking 60 of 120 seats.
Oct ’02 - NATO again extended TFF.
Nov ’02 - National census was held and international monitors deemed it “fair and unbiased.”
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.
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