Greek, Macedonian FMs 27 Sept discussed name dispute on sidelines of UNGA. Tensions continued within ruling coalition between ethnic-Macedonian VMRO DPMNE and ethnic-Albanian Democratic Union for Integration (DUI) overdraft armed forces bill, with DUI blocking its passage through parliament. Visiting EU Enlargement Commissioner Füle 17 Sept said tensions negatively affecting EU accession reforms.

Ruling coalition member Democratic Union for Integration (DUI) 22 Aug threatened to leave govt if parliament adopts law granting benefits to Macedonian armed forces and not to Albanian National Liberation Army (NLA) forces from 2001 conflict. President Ivanov 16 Aug called for investigation of Defence Minister Besimi, other ethnic Albanian ministers for controversially paying respect to NLA fighters 13 Aug; Besimi 22 Aug apologised for causing offence.

UNSG Ban 25 July promised personal engagement in resolving name dispute with Greece; Macedonia 7 July proposed greater cooperation through joint committee, no Greek response. Law suits initiated early-month against President Ivanov, MPs of ruling parties for reinstating provision in new 20 June lustration law; previous version annulled by Constitutional Court in March.

Ethnic Albanian opposition party Democratic Union for Integration leader Ali Ahmeti 13 June called for solution to name dispute after elections in Greece, Macedonia, U.S.. Opposition Democratic Party of Albanians 22 June claimed coalition deal with ethnic Macedonian opposition parties SDSM and VMRO-NP close. Govt 13 June revoked license of critical A2 TV channel.

Macedonian police 1 May arrested 20 ethnic Albanian “radical Islamists” in connection with April murders of 5 ethnic Macedonians; ethnic Albanians 4, 11 May protested arrests in Skopje. PM Gruevski condemned NATO’s “selective respect of international law” after NATO failed to consider Macedonian accession during Chicago summit due to name dispute; U.S. ambassador Wohlers 31 May stated expectation Macedonia will become NATO member before next summit. Opposition leader Branko Crvenkovski 28 May presented “classified” 2005 UN mediator proposal for name change to “Republika Makedonija”, criticized President Gruevski’s rejection of it; Gruevski 31 May cited proposal’s imprecision on nationality, language.

Tensions rose dangerously as 5 Macedonians found murdered 12 April outside Skopje; President Ivanov 15 April urged “restraint by all”; Kosovo PM Thaçi 18 April stressed need to avoid regional destabilisation; hundreds of nationalist Macedonian youths 16 April clashed with police in Skopje demonstration outside Parliament against murders.

Month saw surge in ethnic tensions: 2 ethnic Albanians 29 Feb shot dead in Gostivar by off-duty police officer, allegedly over parking space; 10,000 ethnic Albanians 1 March protested shooting. Gangs of ethnic youth early March clashed, attacked public buses, 30 arrested; thousands 18 March demonstrated in Skopje against ethnic clashes. Macedonian officials 16 March opened “High-Level Accession Dialogue” with EU, seeking to establish momentum for reform agenda despite stalemate over country’s name.

UN envoy Nimetz arrived 20 Feb for two-day meeting with President Ivanov, PM Gruevski, and FM Poposki to discuss possible solutions to name dispute with Greece ahead of Brussels meeting between the countries’ leaders 1-2 March. Ivanov 18 Feb wrote letter to NATO leaders urging them to admit Macedonia to alliance despite continued Greek opposition. Visiting OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities 9 Feb voiced concern over recent increase in ethnic tensions. Democratic Party of Albanians, largest ethnic Albanian opposition party, 24 Feb called for resistance against “anti-Albanian” deal on police cooperation between Serbia and Macedonia.

New round of UN-mediated talks on name dispute between Macedonia and Greece in New York mid Jan ended without result. Greece sent demarche to Macedonia 26 Jan alleging use of Greek motifs, irredentist content in new triumphal arch in Skopje. Orthodox church near Struga in SW set on fire 30 Jan, in apparent ethnically motivated incident.

ICJ 5 Dec found Greece guilty of breaching UN 1995 deal with Macedonia by blocking its NATO membership bid in 2008; did not order Greece to stop blocking Macedonia from joining international organisations in future. European Council 9 Dec again declined to give start date for accession talks with Macedonia.