Throughout 2014, UMD will feature rising stars in the global Macedonian community and conduct interviews with them as part of a Macedonian professionals series to be published on our website, as well as in future issues of UMD Voice magazine. The first in the series of interviews is with Blaze Dimov and Bojan Peovski. We hope you enjoy the interview…
The United Macedonian Diaspora (UMD) urges the European Council to open negotiations with the Republic of Macedonia at its coming meeting on 19/12/2013. Macedonia has been a candidate for EU membership since 2005 and fulfills all criteria to the start negotiations. Taking into account the internal and external difficulties it has faced in the past two decades, the Republic of…
Australia’s e-journal of social and political debate ON LINE Opinion published today an op-ed by UMD President Metodija A. Koloski on the topic “Time for Australia to recognise Macedonia’s legitimate name.” Click HERE to read. On Line Opinion is a not-for-profit e-journal that aims to provide a forum for public social and political debate about current Australian issues and publish…
As we mark the 65th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), or International Human Rights Day, the United Macedonian Diaspora (UMD) asks all to reflect on the challenges and the successes in the global human rights struggle for Macedonia and Macedonians. UMD uses this opportunity to express its profound sadness over the recent death of global human…
The United Macedonian Diaspora (UMD) congratulates Macedonia on being elected as a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for 2014-2016. “UMD is pleased that Macedonia’s track record in human rights protection was recognized today by 177 UN member-states,” said UMD President Metodija A. Koloski. “Being one of the 47 members of the UNHRC will offer Macedonia an…
The United Macedonian Diaspora (UMD) commends the fifth consecutive progress report by the European Commission on Macedonia, which suggests that Macedonia should immediately without delay start accession negotiations with the EU. UMD joins the European Commission in urging the European Council to make the right decision this December. In 2001, Macedonia was the first country to sign a EU Stabilization…
The United Macedonian Diaspora (UMD), as one of the leading voices for Macedonians worldwide, strongly rejects Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras’ comments that Greece is the only constructive partner towards reaching a solution on the name issue. The Greek PM further noted that the neighboring countries, Albania and Bulgaria, could attest to Greece’s supposed constructiveness. The comments by the Greek…
This past summer, from June 29 to July 1, 2013, the United Macedonian Diaspora (UMD) held its first Dr. Ifran Maksudov Memorial Clinic in Strumica, Macedonia and the surrounding villages of Angelci and Banica, helping more than 330 patients, including children and the elderly, to receive free medical exams and free medication. Pictures can be seen by clicking HERE. The…
August 10th marks the one hundredth anniversary of the Treaty of Bucharest, a document that ended the Balkan Wars. This event saw the removal of the Ottoman Empire from Macedonia, with remaining portions of territory being annexed by the kingdoms of Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia, and later Albania, with the approval of the world powers. The treaty led to one of…
The United Macedonian Diaspora (UMD) is proud to announce that earlier this week Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski appointed UMD Advisory Council Member and Macedonian Companion Jerry Naumoff, and confirmed by Macedonia’s Parliament on Wednesday, to become the new Macedonian Minister for Attracting Foreign Direct Investment. Naumoff is the only U.S.-born Minister in the entire Macedonian government. “Jerry has…
On May 10, 2013, the National Post, one of Canada’s largest newspapers, published an article by Bert Archer titled “Yours to conquer: Macedonia is in the midst of an Alexander The Great rebranding.” Click here to read that piece. Jim Daikos, Director of United Macedonian Diaspora (Canada), sent a letter to the editor in response to this article, and the…
The United Macedonian Diaspora (UMD) has sent a letter to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), requesting that the Office of the Prosecutor resume its investigations in the four cases the ICTY returned to the Macedonian authorities in 2008. UMD sent this request as a response to the failure of the Macedonian judicial system to prosecute these…