GETTING TO MACEDONIA

By air: International airports in Skopje and Ohrid connect Macedonia with several major European cities. Close regional airports in Belgrade, Sofia and Thessaloniki can also be used, as they are all within a few hours’ drive from Macedonia. There is unfortunately no airport shuttle bus yet in Skopje, which means travellers are obliged to take a taxi for the 17 km (10.2 m) trip to Skopje. This costs around 10 euros ($12).

By train: An international train, operating twice daily, connects Ljubljana, Slovenia and Thessaloniki, Greece by way of Macedonia. Stops include Tabanovce (the Macedonia-Serbia border crossing point), Kumanovo, Skopje, Veles, Gradsko, Negotino, Demir Kapija, and Gevgelija (Greek border crossing point), as well as a few small villages. An east-west railway to connect Bulgaria with Macedonia is at present under construction.

By car: The international highway E-75 runs north-south from Serbia to Greece, bisecting Macedonia. This is the most common route for overland tourists to take for entering Macedonia. There are also good roads connecting the country with Bulgaria to the east and Albania to the west.

By bus: A number of bus lines connect Macedonia with all neighbouring countries and other European cities. Buses are frequent, and offer relatively inexpensive fares and professional service

FACT AND FIGURES

Geography: The Republic of Macedonia is situated in the central part of the Balkan Peninsula (South-eastern Europe) covering an area of 25.713 square kilometres. Its relief is characterized by large and high mountain massifs giving way to extensive, flat valleys and plains.
Almost the entire territory of Macedonia lies between altitudes 40 and 42. The country is bordered by Serbia and Monte Negro to the North, Bulgaria to the East, Greece to the South and Albania to the West. It is a major transit way for shipment of goods from Central Europe to the East and from Eastern Europe and Greece towards Western Europe.
The capital is Skopje. Other major cities are Bitola, Kumanovo, Ohrid, Tetovo, Veles, Gostivar, Stip and Strumica.

Climate: The territory of the Republic of Macedonia distinguishes between the following homogenous climate regions: the sub-Mediterranean region (from 50 meters to 500 meters above sea level), the moderate continental sub-Mediterranean region (up to 600 meters); the warm continental region (from 600 to 900 meters above the sea level); the cold continental region (from 900m. to 1100 m); the sub-forest continental mountain region (1100 - 1300 meters); the forested continental mountain region (from 1300 meters to 1650 meters above seal level), the sub-Alpine mountain region (from 1650 meters to 2250 meters) and the Alpine mountain region (above 2250 metes above sea level).

Natural resources: The natural conditions in the Republic of Macedonia (geological content, relief, climate, hydrography, soil, flora, fauna) make it one of the rare countries in Europe with wealth of natural values. In the past five decades of organized protection of natural rarities in the Republic of Macedonia, 74 objects of nature have been included in the protected areas network, with a total area of 187,895 ha, or 7,30% of the national territory. In the Republic of Macedonia the following have a status of protected wealth: 3 national parks, with an area of 108,338 ha, or 4,2%; 4 strict natural reserves, with an area of 12.855 ha, or 0,50%; 3 landscapes with special natural characteristics, with an area of 2.338 ha, or 0,09%; 14 distinct plant and animal species outside the natural reserves, with an area of 2709 ha, or 0,10%;; 33 nature parts protected in the category of monuments of nature, with an area of 61.655 ha, or 2,4%.

Population: 2.071.710 (July 2004 est.)

Ethnic groups: The dominant residents are Macedonians (64.18%), than Albanians (25.17%), Turks (3.85%), Roma (2.66%), Vlachs (0.48), Serbs (1.78%), Bosniacs (0.84%) and others (1.04%)

The structure of the population according to the basic age groups is following:
- age 0-14 (21,5%), (male 231.078; female 213.906)
- age 15-64 (67,8 %), (male 707.298; female 696.830)
- Age 65 and over (10,7%) (male 97.437; female 124.661)

National flag: a yellow sun with eight broadening rays extending to the edges of the red field

National Holidays:
* January 1st and 2nd - New Year's Day
* January 7th – Orthodox Christmas
* April - Orthodox Easter
* May 1st and 2nd - Labour Day
* August 2nd Ilinden - Uprising Day
* September 8th - Independence Day
* October 11th – Uprising against Fascism

Language: Official language is the Macedonian. In the municipalities with over 20% of the other ethnic group other than the Macedonians, the language of that ethnic group is also an official language parallel with the Macedonian.


Currency: Macedonian Denar (MKD)
AUD 1 = MKD 36
EUR 1 = MKD 61
USD 1 = MKD 49

Time: GMT+8, and +10 (during Australian winter)

POLITICAL SYSTEM

State with parliamentary democracy

Macedonia is a Republic having multi-party parliamentary democracy and a political system with strict division into legislative, executive and judicial branches. From 1945 Macedonia had been a sovereign Republic within Federal Yugoslavia and on September 8, 1991, following the referendum of its citizens, Macedonia was proclaimed a sovereign and independent state. The Constitution of the Republic of Macedonia was adopted on November 17, 1991, by the first multiparty parliament. The basic intention was to constitute Macedonia as a sovereign and independent, civil and democratic state and also to create an institutional framework for the development of parliamentary democracy, guaranteeing human rights, civil liberties and national equality.
The Assembly is the central and most important institution of state authority. According to the Constitution it is a representative body of the citizens and the legislative power of the Republic is vested in it. The Assembly is composed of 120 seats. http://www.sobranie.gov.mk
The President of the Republic of Macedonia represents the Republic, and is Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Macedonia. He is elected in general and direct elections, for a term of five years, and two terms at most. In April 2004, on the presidential elections Mr. Branko Crvenkovski was elected for new president of the Republic of Macedonia. http://president.gov.mk

BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY

Macedonia is a historical region that originates from the ancient period. The history of the ancient Macedonian kingdom begins with Caranus, who was the first known Macedonian King (808-778 BC). By the 5th century BC the Macedonians expanded and forged a unified kingdom under Alexander I (498-454 B.C.) The zenith of the Macedonian kingdom, its unity, independence and predominance - political, military and economic - reached its apogee in the 4th century BC when the famous Philip II (- 336 B.C.) and Alexander III (356 - 323 B.C.) ruled the prestigious Kingdom of Macedonia the Great. Alexander III is also known as Alexander the Great.
After the dissolution of the Empire, the territory of Macedonia fell first under Roman and later under Byzantine rule. In the course of several centuries, the ancient Macedonians mixed with other ethnic groups such as Roman colonists.
The penetration of Slavic tribes towards the Balkans ended at the beginning of the seventh century and created a new situation - Macedonia's population mixed with the Slav newcomers but retained the Macedonian name, traditions and culture. At the beginning of this period the Macedonians were organized independently in their own tribal communities (sklavinas). Later, they fell under Byzantine and Bulgarian rule, alternatively.
After the death of Bulgarian czar Peter (969), an uprising started intended to overthrow central Bulgarian rule. The Macedonian brothers David, Moses, Aaron and Samuel headed the uprising. Historical sources indicate that later there were uprisings against the Byzantine Empire as well. When three of the brothers, David, Moses and Aaron, were killed in the battles against the Bulgarians and Byzantines, Samuel (976 - 1014) took over all power. Applying similar battle tactics as Alexander the Great in his numerous quests, Samuel managed to liberate the entire territory of ethnic Macedonia and even expand his kingdom through neighbouring territories reaching Danube in Bulgaria, Peloponnesus in current day Greece, Epirus and current day Albania, Zeta and Srem current day Serbia. At the peak of his kingdom, Samuel moved the seat of his kingdom from the island St. Achilles, Prespa to Ohrid where he was crowned king. In the period from 969 until 1018, a vast empire of the Macedonians emerged, second empire of the Macedonians after the empire of Alexander the Great, the Empire of King Samuel with its capital in Ohrid. Testimonies to this empire are the castles he built, of which the most well known is located above Ohrid, which exists even today. This Empire was destroyed by strong assaults of the Byzantine army headed by the emperor Basil II. The last crucial battle was the battle at the mountain of Belasica (current day eastern Macedonia) in the year 1014. In this battle over 50,000 Macedonian soldiers were killed, whereas 15,000 captured soldiers were blinded. The Byzantines left one eye to every hundredth soldier to lead the others back to their king. When king Samuel learned of the fate of his army, he suffered a heart attack and died on his throne in the Prilep castle. The tradition of King Samuel's state remains deeply rooted in the minds of the Macedonian people, praised in numerous folk tales and folk songs fuelling the fantasies of Macedonian patriots striving towards the future creation of an independent state. (The famous monastery of Vodocha in Strumica, Republic of Macedonia, was built on the site where the soldiers were blinded. (Vodocha - take eyes out, transl.)
The period of expansion of medieval states on the Balkan and in Macedonia was followed by the occupation of the Ottoman Empire in the 14th century. Macedonia remained a part of the Ottoman Empire for 500 years, i.e. until 1912.
By 1870, Greece, Bulgaria and Serbia, with the help of their patrons France, Russia and Austro-Hungary, liberated themselves from the Ottoman Empire. In the liberation wars, the Greek, Bulgarian and Serb armies did not proceed onto Macedonian territory because it was not theirs. The Greek armies stopped at the mountain Olympus, the Bulgarian at the mountains Rila and Kitka, whereas the Serb armies stopped advancing near Vranje.
In 1870, peace was declared between Greece, Bulgaria and Serbia on one side and Turkey on the other. In the period of the Eastern Crisis and the Berlin Congress (1878), Macedonia was left under the Ottomans although some concessions were granted to the people.
During the rule of the Ottomans, the Macedonians organized a number of uprisings against the Turkish yoke headed by leaders called "voivodas". Some of the most famous uprisings were the Mariovo - Prilep uprising (1564-1565), Karposh uprising (1689), the Kresnen Uprising (1878) and many more local uprisings.
Organized in TMORO - Secret Macedonian - Odrin Revolutionary Organization, which was formed in 1893 in Thessalonica (current day Greece).
The greatest uprising in Macedonian history occurred on August 2, 1903, on St. Elias’s Day, when Macedonian revolutionaries organized the Macedonians and the entire population to a rebellion against Ottoman rule. Large parts of Macedonia were liberated. The largest free territory was the town of Krushevo and the territory around it. The Krushevo Republic was declared, the first Republic on the Balkans with a President and Parliament with representatives of all ethnic communities. However, the Republic existed only 10 days, because the Ottoman Empire sent a large army that crushed the uprising and put an end to the Republic and demolished the town and the surrounding villages.
Even after the destruction of the Republic, the Macedonians continued to resist, and the Ottoman rule weakened. Famous leaders for Macedonian liberation and independence were Karposh, Goce Delchev, Jane Sandanski, Nikola Karev, Damjan Gruev, Pitu Guli, Lazo Trpovski, Nikola Parapunov, Dimitar Pop-Gjorgjiev, Nikola Petrov-Rusinski and others.
Macedonian soldiers headed by Jane Sandanski from the organization VMRO took part in the revolution of the Young Turks began in 1908 (Vinica Uprising). After the revolution, the Ottoman Empire was taken over by the Young Turks (one of their leaders was Mustafa Kemal Attaturk who managed to establish the Republic of Turkey after the First World War). The newly formed Parliament of Turkey included in its composition two Macedonians as representatives of Macedonia. In this period, Macedonia was granted the right to national Macedonian self organizing, more precisely autonomy.
However, in 1912 and 1913 three Balkan states - Bulgaria, Serbia and Greece, waged the Balkan wars intending to conquer and divide Macedonia between them. The Balkan Wars between Greece, Bulgaria and Serbia ended with the treaty of Bucharest in 1913, with which, in spite of the protests of the ethnic Macedonians, Macedonia was divided into three parts. The Great Powers had no interest in the voice of the Macedonian - the dismemberment of Macedonia had already been accomplished, and no power seriously endorsed revision of the partition. Accordingly, Greece maintained its lion's share of Macedonian territory: 35.169 square kilometres; the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes retained 25.774 square kilometres; and Bulgaria was allowed to take, after minor revision, 6.798 square kilometres.
During World War II (1941-1945), Macedonians took part in the anti-fascist coalition for creating their own state Macedonia, respecting the promise from the Atlantic charter that all nations who take part in the struggle against fascism shall choose their own form of government and shall be afforded "the means of dwelling in safety within their own boundaries, and which will afford assurance that all the men in all lands may live out their lives in freedom from fear and want".
As a result, on 11 October 1941 in the Vardar part of Macedonia there was simultaneous uprising against the fascist occupation in Prilep and Kumanovo, where as in 1942 there were uprisings in the Aegean part of Macedonia (in Lerin and Kostur) headed by Lazo Trpovski and in the Pirin part of Macedonia (in Dupnica) headed by Nikola Parapunov. In spite of the lack of coordination, the intention was clear - liberation of the entire territory of Macedonia. However, only the people in the Vardar part managed to create a state in the face of the People's Republic of Macedonia within the framework of then Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia. The Macedonians in the Pirin part of Macedonia were granted autonomy and certain cultural and ethnic rights in 1946, but these rights were revoked at the end of the decade at the height of the cold war. In the Aegean part of Macedonia there was a civil war in which the Macedonians took part hoping to acquire certain ethnic and cultural right, however at the end of the civil war hundreds of thousands of Macedonians were exiled and any show of ethnic Macedonian identity was banned.
The Republic of Macedonia was proclaimed at the first session of the Antifascist Assembly for the People's Liberation of Macedonia (on St. Elias’s Day - August 2, 1944). Later, by the provisions of the first Constitution (December 31, 1946), it became a constitutive part of the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia.
The first multi-party elections for representatives in the Parliament of the Republic of Macedonia were held on November 11th, 1990, establishing parliamentary democracy in Macedonia.
In accordance with the Charter of the United Nations concerning self-determination and equal rights, the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia adopted the Declaration for International Recognition of the Republic of Macedonia on September 17th, 1991, which confirmed the will of the citizens to live in a sovereign and independent state. According to the Constitution adopted November 17th, 1991, the Republic of Macedonia is a sovereign, independent, democratic and social state. April 8, 1993, Macedonia becomes a UN member state.

MACEDONIA - CHRISTIANITY'S SECOND FATHERLAND, THE COUNTRY IN WHICH THE NEW TESTAMENT WAS WRITTEN

Not only does Chapter 10 of Genesis talk about Macedonia and the Macedonians, but also the Fourth Book of Moses, the books of the Maccabees, and the books of the prophets Daniel, Isaiah, Ezekiel and Jeremiah. And not only is Macedonia spoken of in the Old Testament, but in the New Testament as well. Macedonia and the Macedonians are mentioned in the works of the holy apostles Saint Paul and Saint Luke. However, the most significant data about Macedonia in the Bible are related to the apostle Paul's life and deeds. Let us point out only that it was in Macedonia that he undertook his first and most important Christian mission outside Palestine, together with the apostle Luke.

Macedonia is not only a country mentioned in the Bible, but it is also the only country on the European continent in which some parts of the New Testament were written. The apostle Paul wrote the Second Epistle to the Corinthians and the First Epistle to Timothy in Philippi. The apostle Luke also wrote his gospel in Philippi, which, together with the Gospels according to Matthew, Mark and John, is a fundamental, principal work of Christianity. We should also not overlook the fact that three epistles in the New Testament were addressed to Macedonian church communities: The First Epistle to the Thessalonians, The Second Epistle to the Thessalonians and The Epistle to the Philippians. It is not a coincidence that the famous biblicist Gredner, when talking about the adoption of Christianity by the Macedonians in Philippi, points out that "after Philippi, the Gospel conquered the world!"

This is an apt moment to ask the question: Why did Paul the Apostle come to preach the new idea first in Macedonia and not in some other European country? How shall we explain this fact? What was it that attracted the attention of this apostle? There can only be one explanation: Paul the Apostle was a brilliant man who knew very well that in order to spread his gospel successfully he should win over to his side a renowned and dignified nation, equal to the Romans in the strength of its spirit. In those ancient times Macedonia was such a nation. To deny the existence of Macedonia and the Macedonians means to deny the truthfulness of the Bible, and the work and the epistles of the greatest among the apostles, Paul. Everybody knows that Paul the Apostle preached among the Macedonians, established church communities in Macedonia, sent epistles to the Macedonians in Philippi and Thessalonica, which have endured as an integral part of the Bible, read daily by cultured Christian people.

Macedonia is a biblical country, and the Macedonians a biblical people: " Macedonia was the second homeland to Paul the Apostle and the second homeland of Christianity itself."

Saint John Chrysostom identifies the name of the city of Philippi with the name of Macedonia. To Saint John, who lived in the second half of the fourth century and the beginning of the fifth century A.D., to love Philippi was to love the whole of Macedonia.

Not only Saint John Chrysostom, but also Polycarp of Smyrna (second century A.D.), in one of his letters to the Philippians indirectly implies that Philippi and Thessalonica are cities that belong to the same country and to the same people. "What is important is the fact that the Macedonians, even in the second century A.D., after so many centuries under the heel of the Romans, managed to preserve themselves as a separate ethnic group. That was immediately before the coming of the Slavs to the Balkans and their settlement on Macedonian territory, which means that when they came, the Slavs met the old Macedonian population, ethnically different from the Greeks and other ethnic groups populating the area."

Source - macedonianemb.