Last census 1994: 1,945,932 inhabitants. 66,5% Macedonians; 22,9% Albanians; 4,0& Turks; 2,3& Roma; 2,0% Serbs; 0,4% Walachs; 1,9% Others. Refugees end of 1996: 5100 from Bosnia-Herzegovina.
 

20-22 January 1990: 14th and last Congress of the League of Yugoslav Communists. The Slovenian and the Croat delegation leave the Congress.

11 / 25 November 1990: The first multi-party elections are held in the Socialist Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. During the parliamentary elections, three blocks emerge: Postsocialists, Macedonian and Albanian nationalists. The Internal Revolutionary Macedonian Organisation – Democratic Party of Macedonian National Unity (VRMO-DPMNE) becomes the strongest fraction.
 

27 January 1991: The new parliament elects Kiro Gligorov with 114 of 119 votes as President of Macedonia.

25 January 1991: Declaration of sovereignty and declaration of the right to secede from the federation.

March 1991: The term of office of the "expert government" of Nikola Kljusev starts.

8 September 1991: In a referendum, 95% of the population vote for the sovereignty of the Yugoslav republic. The Serb and the Albanian population boycott the referendum. Greece looks at the referendum with suspicion, especially because of the name "Macedonia."

15 September 1991: Macedonia declares its independence from Yugoslavia.

16 October 1991: The parliament refuses to accept decisions taken by the Yugoslav rump parliament in Belgrade, which is controlled by Serbs.

17 November 1991: A new constitution is passed in parliament.

21 November 1991: The new constitution comes in effect. According to the constitution all nationalities in Macedonia enjoy equal rights. However, the Macedonian (speaking) population is considered to be the "only constituent people" of Macedonia.

23 December 1991: Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Macedonia meet the deadline for applying for EC recognition as independent states.

26th December  Macedonia drafted constitutional changes to fit
the EC conditions for recognition.
 

6 January 1992: The Republic of Macedonia's national assembly amends its constitution in compliance with conditions laid down by the EC for recognition as an independent state. The amendments, aimed at reassuring Greece, state that the Republic of Macedonia "has no territorial ambitions" towards any of ist neighbors and that it would not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries. Greece does not recognize the existence of a Macedonian nation On 5 January Greek Prime Minister Constantine Mitsotakis demanded that the Republic of Macedonia change its name to eliminate the term "Macedonia." He referred to it as the "Republic of Skopje."

11-12 January 1992: After more than 90% of Albanians in the Republic of Macedonia approve a autonomy in a referendum, they are deeply divided over what to do. The issue hinges on the degree of autonomy sought by the Albanians of the Republic of Macedonia. Several predominantly ethnic Albanian municipalities in western Macedonia declare the region the "Republic of Vevcani." The head of Macedonia's largest Albanian party, Nevzad Halili, condemns the move.

15 January 1992: Bulgaria is the first neighbouring state to recognize Macedonia.

14 February 1992: In Thessaloniki hundred thousands demonstrate against the adoption of the name „Macedonia."

21 February 1992: In Belgrade, President Gligorov reaches assent on the pullout of the federal Yugoslav army. By 27 March. the pullout of former federal Yugoslav army troops and materiel from the Republic of Macedonia is completed.

7 April 1992: Representatives of the Albanian population declare the autonomy of the "Albanian Autonomous Republic of Illyria".

27 April 1992: The former Yugoslav republic of Macedonia begins introducing the Macedonian "denar," a substitute for the Yugoslav dinar.

9 May 1992: Greece pledges economic and defense assistance to the former Yugoslav republic of Macedonia under one condition: that it change its name. Greece argues that using a name other than Macedonia would help assure that the republic has no territorial pretensions on the northern Greek province of the same name. Macedonia has repeatedly rejected the Greek demands, but says it is ready to sign an agreement with Greece on the inviolability of borders.

27 June 1992: The EC agrees at its Lisbon meeting to recognize Macedonia, but only under the condition that it take on a new name that excludes the word "Macedonia." The European media widely see this as a victory for Athens, which argues that the word is part of the Greek cultural patrimony. Macedonian President Kiro Gligorov says that the EC decision offends his people's feelings and dignity.

7 July 1992: The parliament expresses a vote of no-confidence against Kljusev’s government. Präsident Gligorov asks Ljupèo Georgievski (VMRO-DPMNE) to form a new government – which fails shortly thereafter.

5 August 1992: Rußland officially recognizes Macedonia. Since January, Bulgarien, Turkey, Slovenia, Croatia, the Philippines and Lithuania have recognized the independence of Macedonia.

6 August 1992: Petar Gošev, whom Gligorov had asked to form a new government, gives back the mandate. Kljusev’s cabinet stays in power.

12 August 1992: Macedonia introduces a new national flag (sun with 16 rays on red background).

5 September 1992: The Parliament of the Republic of Macedonia elects 31 year old Branko Crvenkovski, chairman of the Social Democratic Alliance of Macedonia SDSM (former communists), as prime minister with 72 against 5 votes. His 22-seat cabinet includes 5 ministers of the Albanian Party of Democratic Prosperity (PDP), representative of the Albanian minority in Macedonia. Crvenkovski identifies his government's priorities as preserving peace and stability in Macedonia, gaining international recognition of the republic, and the introduction of market-oriented reforms.

27 October 1992: The parliament agrees upon a law on Macedonian citizenship: it awards those citizens of the former Yugoslavia, who have lived in Macedonia for 15 years, with a Macedonian passport.

6 November 1992: Clashes between Albanians and the police in Skopje leave four people dead and 36 wounded.

17 November 1992: The Guardian reports that leaders of the Albanian minority in the Republic of Macedonia will be forced to declare western Macedonia autonomous if Albanians are not granted the same rights as Macedonians. Sami Ibrahimi, vice president of the Party for Democratic Prosperity, the main Albanian party in Macedonia, told the paper that his party will urge the EC to delay recognition of Macedonia until the republic's constitution is amended to grant Albanians the status of a nation. Ibrahimi added that if they are not so recognized, his party will have no option but to withdraw its representatives in parliament and government and demand partition. Ethnic Albanians make up between 20% and 40% of the republic's population, depending on whose figures are used.

10 December 1992: The parliament of the former Yugoslav republic of Macedonia votes to change its name to the „Republic of Macedonia (Skopje)". Macedonian President Kiro Gligorov asked parliament to adopt the name in a bid to win international recognition and "a sign of our goodwill." The proposal wins support of all assembly deputies apart from some opposition parties and a few independents. More than a million people demonstrate in Athens against the international recognition of Macedonia.

11 December 1992: The UN Security Council decides in its resolution 795 to deploy / reassign 700 blue helmets from Croatia to Macedonia.
 

7 January 1993: Kiro Gligorov, president of the Republic of Macedonia, initiates a formal application for his country's admission to the UN. The effort comes more than a year after the Republic of Macedonia was established and is in part intended to gain broad international recognition.

21 February 1993: Clashes in Skopje between the police and approx. 3000 demonstrators who protest against the admission of Muslim refugees from Bosnia-Herzegovina.

12 March 1993: With a vote of 136 for, one against, and 12 abstentions, the European Parliament calls upon the EC to recognize the Republic of Macedonia. The vote is taken in the context of an amendment to a human rights document.

27 March 1993: Greece accepts the compromise designation „Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia". Macedonian Prime Minister sharply criticizes the compromise. President Gligorov calls for the acceptance of the compromise.

8 April 1993: Macedonia is admitted to the UN (181th member) albeit under the provisional name of the „Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" (FYROM) and without a flag.

14 April 1993: The Macedonian government narrowly wins a confidence vote sponsored by opposition legislators.

15 April 1993: The EC member states Belgium, Germany, and Italy join Denmark in recognizing the Republic of Macedonia. Greece, which has blocked EC recognition of Macedonia, notes that such recognition "does not facilitate" negotiations between Athens and Skopje now underway in New York.

28 April 1993: During the Prague CSCE meeting, the CSCE grants the Republic of Macedonia visitor status in the hope that full membership will soon be granted. Admission hinges on finding an official name for the Republic of Macedonia that Greece will accept. On 27 April Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis reportedly informed UN negotiator David Owen that Greece can not accept the name Nova Makedonija ("New Macedonia") as proposed in a ten-page draft agreement. Rather, he prefers "Upper Macedonia" according to Greek newspapers.

14 May 1993: The Council of Europe grants the Republic of Macedonia nonvoting membership. Macedonia's three representatives will be permitted to join in Council debates and participate on commissions but will not have a vote.

3 June 1993: According to UN documents, UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali supports the idea of Macedonia changing its name to "Republic of New Macedonia." Neither Skopje nor Athens appears ready to accept this name, however. Greece favors the name "Slavo-Macedonia," but, Macedonia's non-Slav minorities, notably the Albanians, would find this unacceptable.

9 June 1993: 200 US soldiers arrive in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. This is in addition to another group of 100 US soldiers that arrived last week. The total UN force in Macedonia (UNPROFOR) is now approximately 1000. The mandate of the force continues to be the monitoring of Macedonia's potentially volatile border with Serbia and Albania. UN authorities are especially concerned that the post-Yugoslav conflict might spill over into the Serbian province of Kosovo, which would widen the conflict considerably.

June 1993: First participation of Macedonian artists in the Venice Biennale (artists: Gligor Stefanov, Petre Nikolski; commissioner: Zoran Petrovski).

September 1993: Macedonia signs a protocol with FRY on the rights and duties of the Serbs living in Macedonia (44,000 or 2,2 percent of the population). The Serbs will be mentioned in the preamble of the constitution and will be granted right to use their language in schools.

18 October 1993: Andreas Papandreou, Greece's newly elected prime minister, categorically refuses to continue UN-sponsored talks with the Republic of Macedonia on the official name of the new state.

12 November 1993: The arrest of 8 Albanians, among them two deputy ministers, has strong repercussions in Macedonia. Weapons and lists for the creation of Albanian paramilitary units in Macedonia are found with the arrested.

16 December 1993: Despite of Greek protests, Denmark, Germany, France, Great Britain, Italy and the Netherlands recognise Macedonia and establish full diplomatic relations.
 

8 January 1994: Theodoros Pangalos, Greece's European Affairs Minister indicates that Greece would cease blocking Macedonia's admission to the CSCE if Skopje discontinues use of the flag, the centerpiece of which is the 16-pointed star of Vergina, a symbol claimed by Greece as a national treasure. Pangalos adds that the issue of Macedonia's name has been set aside; however he suggests that a gesture such as this from Macedonia could lead to overcoming other impediments.

February 1994: Russia and the US establish full diplomatic relations with Macedonia.

16/17 February 1994: Despite sharp criticism of the EU partners, Greece closes its border with Macedonia and imposes an economic blockade on Macedonia that will preclude the shipment of all goods to and from the port of Thessaloniki except food and medicine. This is the second embargo imposed by Greece on Macedonia in two years. Macedonian officials, who have been willing to hold discussions with Greece, are bewildered by the action.

2 March 1994: FRY closes ist air space for airplanes from Macedonia, saying that transit fees of 3,5 million DM have still not been paid.

10 March 1994: The European parliament criticises Greek behaviour towards Macedonia.

27 March 1994: Meeting in Ioannina, Greece, EU foreign ministers press Greece to end its trade blockade of the Republic of Macedonia or face a law suit in the European Court of Justice.

27 June 1994: After their arrest in November 1993, and their indictment on 3 February 1994 for anti-state activities, ten ethnic Albanians are sentenced for building up an „All Albanian" Army.

3 July 1994: The Party of Democratic Prosperity (PDP) starts a temporary parliamentary boycott after the trial of 27 June.

16 October 1994: In the first round of the presidential elections, Kiro Gligorov is re-elected with 52.4% of the votes. His most important opponent Ljupèo Georgievski receives 14.4% der Stimmen. Participation: 71%.

30 October 1994: In the second round of the parliamentary elections, the Social Democratic Alliance of Macedonia (SDSM) wins 95 of the 120 parliamentary seats (1990: 54). The until now strongest opposition party VRMO-DPMNE boycotts the second round in reaction to unfavourable results in the first round of elections and calls on their supporters to follow their example. 57.5% participate in the second round of the vote. The (Albanian) Party of Democratic Prosperity PDP wins 10 (1990: 18); the (Albanian) Democratic National Party NDP 4 (1990: 7); Independents 7 (1990: 3); Others 4 (1990: 38).

5 December 1994: Greece agrees to partly lift its blockade of Macedonia and allow 5,000 tons of fuel to pass across the border for use in schools and hospitals.

16 December 1994 – 19 January 1995: The first annual exhibition of the Soros Center for Contemporary Arts – Skopje Image Box takes place in the Cultural Center Mala Stanica.

17 December 1994: The first Albanian-language university in Macedonia is to open on 17 December. To be located in the western Macedonian city of Tetovo, which is regarded as a center of ethnic Albanian nationalism, the new university is already controversial and may face an official ban from Skopje. The Education Ministry says the Albanian university is unconstitutional because national minorities must satisfy their needs within the existing education system. The Albanians, however, charge that the government has ignored their long-standing demands for higher education in the Albanian language.

20 December 1994: The new government of Prime Minister Branko Crvenkovski includes ministers from SDSM (10), LP (5), PDP (4) und SPM (1).

The Soros Center for Contemporary Art – Skopje is founded in 1994.
 

19 January 1995: OSCE High Commissioner Max van der Stoel meets with Fadil Sulejmani, the director of the self-declared and not legally recognized Albanian-language university in Tetovo, and with members of the ethnic Albanian Democratic People's Party. The Albanian representatives stress that the educational situation of Albanians in Macedonia has deteriorated since Serbian authorities closed the University of Pristina in Kosovo. Van der Stoel notes that in accordance with international conventions signed by Macedonia in 1990, the Albanians have a right to higher education in their mother tongue. But he adds that this issue must be solved in keeping with the law.

9 February 1995: Due to differences in language politics the Party of Democratic Prosperity of the Albanians in Macedonia (PDP), together with other ethnic Albanian deputies, starts to boycot the parliament. Despite of the boycott, the PDP remains in the government coalition.

17 February 1995: Sparked by the crackdown on the self-proclaimed Albanian-language University in Tetovo, violent clashes erupt between ethnic Albanianns and Macedonian police. Following the police crackdown, one ethnic Albanian died in armed riots and seven were sentenced to 30 days in prison for disturbing the peace. In protest, deputies from the ethnic Albanian Party of Democratic Prosperity begin to boycott parliament sessions (until 10 March).

10-11 March 1995: Unknown offenders vandalize some 130 Christian Orthodox tombs in Kumanovo during the night. The incident followed a similar incident involving about 40 Albanian tombs on 20 February.

31 March 1995: The mandate of the blue helmets in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Macedonia is extended. The UN forces in Macedonia are now called „United Nations Preventive Deployment Force in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" (UNPREDEP).

13 June 1995: A letter from the Party of Democratic Prosperity of the Albanians in Macedonia (PDPSM) to the Council of Europe saying that Macedonia does not meet the criteria to be accepted into the council sparks an outcry in the Macedonian media. Vecer calls the letter an "anti-Macedonian pamphlet." The PDPSM argues that accession should follow only "after the true democratization of Macedonia begins." It claims that the Albanian minority has been deprived of the constitutional status it has enjoyed since 1974. The PPD further criticizes the electoral law and the ban on Albanian-language higher education.

14 July 1995: The Party of Democratic Prosperity of the Albanians in Macedonia (PDPSM) ceases its boycott of parliament sessions. The boycott began in late February in protest at the crackdown on the Albanian-language university in Tetovo.

13 September 1995: Greece and Macedonia sign an interim accord in New York which is intented to normalize bilateral relations. The conflict about the national flag is settled.

27 September 1995: The Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly approves Macedonia's request for membership. Macedonia officially joins as the 38th member under the name of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Macedonia will have three seats in the assembly. Macedonia's admission to the organization is the first concrete result of the recently signed Greek-Macedonian accord, whereby Athens agreed not to object to Macedonian membership in international organizations of which it is a member.

3 October 1995: President Gligorov is seriously injured by the explosion of a teleoperated car bomb, his driver is killed. The attack was allegedly prepared by Macedonian nationalists.

5 October 1995: The Macedonian parliament decides to replace the sun of Vergina by a sun with 8 rays on the national flag.

12 October 1995: Macedonia is admitted as a full member of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Its membership, which becomes effective on 14 October, follows Macedonia's admission into the Council of Europe earlier this month.

15 October 1995: After the ratification of the interim accord by the parliament in Skopje, Greece opens its borders with Macedonia. Until an agreement is reached, the Macedonian liaison office in Athens will have a sign outside giving the republic's name as "Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia," and as "Macedonia" on the sign inside the door.

15 November 1995: Macedonia becomes the 27th member of the Partnership for Peace program. UN peacekeeping troops are present in Macedonia since December 1992.

December 1995 - January 1996: Exhibition „The Gaze Stories", Museum of Contemporary Art, Skopje, Macedonia. Curator: Dejan Sretenoviæ, SCCA Belgrade. Artists: Zoran Naskovski, Neša Paripoviæ, Jovan Èekiæ, Era Milivojeviæ, Nina Kociæ, Aleksandar Daviæ, et al.

1995: First issue of Golemoto Staklo (Large Glass), art magazine.
 

17 January 1996: Greece and Macedonia on 17 January open liaison offices in each other's capitals, as stipulated by the interim accord signed in September 1995.

10 February 1996: Prime Minister Crvenkovski sacks the four ministers of the Liberal Party. He thus ends the government coalition and transform the cabinet. The main reason is the ongoing dispute over the privatization of industries.

27 February 1996: Greece and Macedonia, meeting at UN headquarters in New York, fail again to reach agreement on the issue of a permanent official name for Macedonia. Both parties agree, however, to continue the dialogue in April.

16-24 March 1996: The second annual exhibition of the SCCA - Skopje, Macedonia, „Icon on Silver", presents the works of 9 Macedonian artists, designed especially for the medium of CD-ROM.

8 April 1996: Macedonia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia recognize each other.

20 June 1996: Macedonia and the EU reach agreement on a cooperation accord, which will go into effect on 1 January 1997. Two days earlier, Macedonian Deputy Prime Minister Jane Miljovski had refused to sign the agreement because it referred to Macedonia as the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Since no compromise between Macedonia, Greece, and the European Commission on the name issue was reached, only letters of intent confirming agreement had been reached were exchanged. The agreement itself was not initialed.

4 July 1996: More than 10,000 ethnic Albanians rally in Tetovo against the jailing of Fadil Sulejmani, the dean of Tetovo University. Sulejmani is due to begin serving a one-year sentence, convicted for incitement after demonstrations in 1995. Demonstrators demand the university's legalization and its integration into the Macedonian education system.

17 November / 1 December 1996: The first local elections since independence take place. The governing social democrats win about a quarter of the votes. The Macedonian nationalist opposition wins slightly less. International election monitors report about irregularities.

In the end of 1996, there are 5100 refugees from Bosnia and Herzegovina in Macedonia.

In 1996, the abandoned space of the old Turkish bath Cifte Amam hosts the exhibition Liquor Amnii, the first project by women artists featuring five Macedonian artists along with five artists from the Boston Mobius Artists Centre.
 

9 April 1997: The Security Council votes unanimously in New York to suspend the planned reduction in its peacekeeping force in Macedonia. The decision comes in response to unrest in neighboring Albania.

26 May 1997: In the ongoing controversy in Macedonia's Gostivar over hoisting Albanian and Turkish flags at the town hall, police moves in to break up armed clashes between Macedonians, on the one hand, and ethnic Albanians and Turks, on the other.

11 June 1997: The government in Skopje proposes a draft law that will enable ethnic minorities to choose and use their own national symbols. If the parliament approves the bill, the Albanian and Turkish minorities will be able to fly the flags of Albania or Turkey at private, cultural, or sporting events. They may also display their flags on state holidays if they also fly the Macedonian banner. But they will not be allowed to fly their flags from public buildings. The bill comes in the wake of weeks of tension in Gostivar, where the Albanian and Turkish flags have been flying from the town hall. It is unclear whether the bill will pass the parliament or, if it does, whether it will satisfy the ethnic minorities.

20 June 1997: Macedonia signs a cooperation agreement with the EU.

9 July 1997: At least two ethnic Albanians are killed and many more wounded following clashes between Macedonian police and hundreds of Albanians in Gostivar. Police arrest more than 300 Albanians; several police are injured in the violence. Tensions began when police pulled down Albanian flags flying from the city hall and some Albanians tried to rehoist them. UN peacekeepers left town during the violence.

18 July 1997: A delegation of ethnic Albanian political leaders from Kosovo goes to Macedonia to try to calm the situation.

21 July 1997: Albanian Television denies that Tirana played any role in recent ethnic unrest in Tetovo and Gostivar in Macedonia, as some Macedonian politicians have charged. The broadcast adds that Belgrade is the most likely source of outside meddling in Macedonia's affairs.

9 September 1997: Kiro Gligorov says that international peacekeepers must stay on to provide the necessary stability for Macedonia to overcome its poverty and social problems. He adds that he hopes that Macedonia, which marked the sixth anniversary of its independence on 8 September, can eventually join both the EU and NATO. Also in Skopje, several hundred people attend memorial services for Mother Teresa, who was born as Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu in that city in 1910.

15 September - 15 October 1997: Third Annual Exhibition „Scandal", Open Society Institute Skopje.

7 October 1997: The Democratic Party of Serbs in Macedonia announces that Serbs from Macedonia will help Kosovar Serbs if the situation in Kosovo escalates. Party leader Dragisa Miletic says in a statement that "We, the Serbs from Macedonia, are well organized for any escalation of the situation in Kosovo...and we will not allow any foul play from the Albanians from Macedonia." The previous day, Arben Xhaferri, leader of the Democratic Party of Albanians in Macedonia, had said "Albanians from Macedonia will, in the event of war in Kosovo, fight together with the people of Kosovo.". Miletic's party has branded Xhaferri's statement as an "immature political move."

4 November 1997: Foreign Minister Blagoje Handziski writes UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan from Skopje that UN peacekeepers should stay on in Macedonia after their mandate runs out on 1 December. Handziski argues that instability in Kosovo makes a continued UN presence in Macedonia imperative.

4 December 1997: Albanian Foreign Minister Paskal Milo and his Macedonian counterpart, Blagoj Handziski, sign six agreements in Tirana. Four of the texts are aimed at strengthening security along their common border, near which more than 100 incidents have been reported since the beginning of the year.

3 December 1997: The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia demands a correction of the border between Macedonia and FRY at three strategically important points.
 
 

12 January 1998: Macedonian authorities announce in Skopje that Greek citizens wanting to cross into Macedonia can no longer receive a visa at the border but must apply in Athens for one instead. The move follows a Greek decision in November to stop granting Macedonians visas at the border and requiring Macedonians to apply for visas in Skopje.

9 February 1998: The leaders of the two largest ethnic Albanian political parties in Macedonia — the Party for Democratic Prosperity and the Party of Democratic Prosperity of the Albanians — appeal to the international community to start a dialogue between Belgrade and the Kosovar leadership. The party leaders warn that Kosovo could be sliding toward war and that any conflict there would affect the stability of Macedonia.

19 February 1998: A bomb explodes in an Albanian-owned butcher's shop in the mainly Albanian-populated western town of Gostivar. No one is injured in the blast, which was the second in Gostivar and the fifth in Macedonia during the past three months.

1-3 March 1998: Violent demonstrations resulting in 20 dead and more that 300 injured in neighboring Kosovo cause uneasiness in Macedonia.

11 April 1998: Sadako Ogata, who is the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, says in Skopje that contingency plans are being made for a possible refugee influx into Macedonia from Kosova if conditions there further deteriorate. "At the present time, there are no refugees from Kosova in Macedonia, [but] the possibility of an emergency is something that we have to be prepared [for]." She adds that "there is no emergency, but to prepare for this is the best prevention." Kosovar officials recently said in Tirana that some Kosovar refugees have gone to Macedonia since the Serbian police crackdown began on 28 February. The officials stress that Kosovars are much more likely to flee to Macedonia, where many have friends and relatives, than to Albania should the repression intensify.

13 April 1998: The Democratic Party of the ethnic Albanians pulls back its ministers from the national and the local governments, protesting the arrest of a mayor who displayed the Albanian flag.

14 May 1998: One Albanian is killed when Macedonian border troops open fire on a group of Albanians attempting to cross into Macedonia. The Macedonian Defense Ministry says the body of the slain man has been returned to Albanian officials. It says border troops had prevented two other groups from entering Macedonia illegally. Ethnic Albanians make up some 25 percent of Macedonia's population.

25 May 1998: Brussels announces that units from NATO member countries and unspecified states participating in the Partnership for Peace Program will hold "large maneuvers" in Macedonia in early September. The aim of the exercise is to help prepare Macedonia to secure its borders "in case of a dramatic worsening of the situation in Kosova." On 28 May the NATO Foreign Ministers decide to prevent a possible spillover of the Kosovo conflict onto Albania or Macedonia with military means.

8 - 18 July 1998: Fourth Annual SCCA Exhibition „1111 Portraits", H`vzi Pasini Konaci Skopje.

16 July 1998: UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan says in New York that the world organization should add 350 soldiers to the current 800 who make up the UN peace-keeping operation in Macedonia (UNPREDEP). He also calls for extending UNPREDEP's mandate by another six months, which would be until February 1999.

3 August 1998: Defense Minister Lazar Kitanovski says in Ohrid that Macedonia may seek "outside assistance" to help patrol its border with Albania if illegal crossings of that frontier by smugglers and gun- runners increase.

22 September 1998: Vlado Popovski, the Macedonian intelligence chief, says that members of the UCK are in Macedonia. Popovski says the UCK has an "infrastructure in Macedonia" but that he does not think it will be active because "the situation in this country is much better than in Kosova or Albania." He adds that ethnic Albanian parties take part in the civic and political institutions. Popovski says the greatest threat to Macedonia would be posed by the smuggling of weapons into the country from Albania or a large influx of ethnic Albanian refugees from Kosova.

2-9 October 1998: Skopje Electronic Arts Fair ‘98 (SEAFair ’98) - Communing, organized by the Center for Computer Arts / Soros Center for Contemporary Arts - Skopje, Macedonia. On the occasion of the Junction/Syndicate Meeting, Skopje/MK (2 - 4 October 1998), held during the SEAFair ’98, the second Syndicate reader (Syndicate Publication Series 002) is published: „Junction Skopje, selected texts from the V2_East/Syndicate mailing list 1997 - 98", edited by Inke Arns, Syndicate Publication Series 002, Skopje, October 1998, 197 pp. [ISBN 9989-745-23-4]
Online version available at <http://colossus.v2.nl/syndicate/synr2.html>

18 October / 1 November 1998: During the parliamentary elections, the Internal Revolutionary Macedonian Organisation – Democratic Party of the Macedonian National Unity (VRMO-DPMNE), which boycotted the elections in 1994, wins 58 of the 120 seats. The Social Demokratic Alliance of Macedonia (SDSM) wins 29, both the Albanian parties win 24 seats.

15 / 22 November 1998: Elections have to be repeated in seven electoral districts due to irregularities. The VRMO-DPMNE wins another 4 seats.

30 November 1998: The parliament elects Ljubèo Georgievski, the leader of the VRMO-DPMNE, as Prime Minister. Despite the absolute majority of the VRMO-DPMNE, the Albanian Democratic Party (PDSh) becomes a member of the government and gets five ministerial posts.

6 December 1998: The first troops of the Rapid Reaction Force for Kosova of NATO are stationed in Macedonia

30 December 1998: An amnesty frees the local Albanian politicians who were arrested in July 1997. The law is vetoed by President Gligorov. The veto is turned down in February 1999.
 

11 February 1999: Macedonia and Bulgaria sign a declaration stating that they have no claims to territory. The declaration puits an end to a long lasting latent conflict.

1 March 1999: The mandate of the UNO Preventive Deployment Force (UNPREDEP) expires and is not extended. Macedonia's recent decision to recognize Taiwan prompted China to veto against extending the mandate of the UN peace-keeping force in Macedonia.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Skopje delivers a "verbal protest" to the Yugoslav embassy in response to recent remarks by Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Vojislav Seselj, who said that Macedonia would "cease to exist" if NATO troops attack Serbia from Macedonia.

23 March 1999: Skopje will not allow NATO peacekeepers stationed in Macedonia to attack Serbia. "Our country won't allow its territory to be used in an attack on any neighboring country, including Yugoslavia, and I think NATO will accept this," he says.

24 March: The head of the OSCE Spillover Monitor Mission to Skopje, Ambassador Faustino Troni, said as early as 24 March that his mission believed that there were already some 20,000 refugees from Kosovo in the country.

March/April: During the NATO air strikes on Yugoslavia, the wave of refugees from Kosovo, which has been running for months already, grows to approx. 150.000. There is disagreement between Macedonia and NATO about the building of refugee camps and the input of Kosovo Albanian refugees in Macedonia.

25 March: Some 2,000 members of Macedonia's small Serbian minority, along with some Macedonian nationalists, fire-bomb  the U.S. embassy and also damage the German and British embassies.

9 April: A spokeswoman for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees says at Stankovic, Macedonia, that the missing 10,000 Kosovar refugees have been accounted for. She said that the latest figures from camps in Macedonia and Albania include the missing 10,000.

14 April: Some 1,000 Kosovar refugees arrive at the Macedonian border crossing Blace.

16-18 April 1999: Some 15,000 Kosovars arrive in Macedonia during the weekend. This was the result of a "final push" by Serbian forces to clear southwestern Kosova of ethnic Albanians by applying the now-familiar pattern of "emptying, looting and burning villages." On 17 April, Macedonian Defense Minister Nikola Kljusev says in Blace that his country will not build additional refugee camps to house the new arrivals. He demands that the international community honor its agreements with Macedonia and move quickly to resettle the refugees in third countries.

18 April 1999: Macedonian Ambassador to the U.K. Stevo Crvenkovski tells officials from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in London on 18 April that aid agencies are flying food into Macedonia at a time when Macedonian farmers have a surplus of food that they can sell only with difficulty. Crvenkovski also calls for Western debt relief to help Macedonia cope with the refugees.

20 May 1999: The UN High Commissioner for Refugees says that between 2,000 and 3,000 Kosovar Albanians have fled to Macedonia on 20 May. The UNHCR says many of them arrive by train and are from the suburbs of Kosova's capital, Prishtina, while others come from Urosevac.

25 May 1999: Some 2,000 Kosovars arrive on the border with Macedonia.

2 June 1999: Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski’s government allows NATO to station another 14,000 troops in Macedonia, bringing the total there to 30,000.

10 June 1999: Serb forces start withdrawal from Kosovo. NATO halts air war.

11 June 1999: Russian peacekeepers from Bosnia enter Kosovo, taking NATO by surprise.

12 June: NATO troops enter Kosovo at dawn, first the British, followed by French and Americans. Russian peacekeepers take control of Pristina airport.

14 June: Ethnic Albanian refugees begin to stream home to Kosovo. Serb refugees pour out of Kosovo.

June 1999: Macedonia inofficially takes part in the Venice Biennale with a performance by Iskra Dimitrova and the publication Few Candies for Venice. Art in Macedonia at the End of the Millenium, edited by Nebojša Vilic.

[I.A.]