The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia*

*UN membership is registered under "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia". The name of the state is however the subject of a dispute between the Greek and the Macedonian governments. Mediation efforts are currently underway under the auspices of the United Nations.

Government: Parliamentary democracy with unicameral parliament
Head of State: President Branko Crvenkovski
Head of Government: Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski
Foreign Minister: Antonio Milošoski

Population: 2.05 million
Capital: Skopje
Area: 25 713 km2
Currency: 1 EUR = 61.50 Macedonian denar (MKD, Dec. 2006)

GDP in real terms: 5.6 billion US$ (2005)
GDP per capita: 2 731 US$
Economic growth: 4,0%
Unemployment: 36.5%

Main export markets: Serbia and Montenegro (2005), Germany, Greece, Italy
Main exports: ferro-silicon, non-ferrous metals and non-ferrous metal products, iron and steel, textiles, petroleum products
Main source of imports: Russia, Germany, Italy
Main imports: petroleum and petroleum-based products, automobiles and machinery, manufactured goods of all types
Major economic sectors: agriculture, industry (esp. textiles) and mining, services

The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia drawing closer to the EU

• 1996: The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia is included in the EU financing programme PHARE. This signals the start of contractual relations with the EU.
• January 1998: A cooperation agreement between the European Communities and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (fYRoM) signed in 1997 enters into force (in force until 2004)
• June 2000: The Feira European Council grants five states of the Western Balkans, including former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, the status of potential accession candidates and launches a stabilization and association process.
• November 2000: The first EU-Western Balkans summit in Zagreb underscores the EU perspective of the countries in the region. the former Republic Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia concludes negotiations with the EU on a Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA).
• April 2001: The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia signs the Stabilization and Association Agreement with the EU.
• March 2003: The second EU-Western Balkans summit in Thessaloniki reaffirms the EU perspective of the countries in the region.
• March 2004: The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia submits an application for accession to the EU just five weeks before the historic fifth round of enlargement.
• April 2004: The Stabilization and Association Agreement enters into force. For The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia this means political dialogue with the EU and the creation of a free trade area by 2011. The accession perspective is mentioned in the Preamble.
• December 2005: The European Council in Brussels grants the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia the status of an accession candidate.
• March 2006: The informal Foreign Ministers Meeting in Salzburg again reaffirms the region's EU perspective.
• November 2006: The European Commission pays tribute to the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia’s political and economic progress but criticizes the slowdown of reforms. Above all on the implementation of the Stabilization and Association Agreement and in the sphere of justice and home affairs, many important steps remain to be taken, the Commission stated. The question as to when accession negotiations can begin remains open.

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