3 January 2022 Skopje – As of January 1, 2022, North Macedonia has joined the troika of the OSCE chairpersonships alongside last year’s chairpersonship holder Sweden and this year’s, Poland. By this our obligations as holder of 2023 OSCE Chairpersonship formally begins, covering the largest regional security organization in Northern hemisphere including 57 participating states in three continents – Europe, Asia and America, FM Bujar Osmani told a press conference on Monday. Skopje – We will communicate with France after the new Government is formed in the second half of January, regarding the possibility of unblocking the country’s Euro-integration process during the French EU Presidency, said Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani on Monday. Skopje – We expect constructive talks with the new Bulgarian government, restoration of trust, discussion on core issues and swift unblocking of the process, said Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani on Monday. Skopje – I do not concur that the Public Prosecutor’s Office backs down to political pressure. Had the Prosecutor’s Office been under political influence, it wouldn’t have opened cases to investigate office holders, Chief Public Prosecutor Ljubomir Joveski has said. Skopje – As of Monday midnight, fuel prices increase by Mden 1.5, according to the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC). Skopje – After almost two years since the Covid-19 pandemic broke out, the economy in North Macedonia is slowly recovering. The six stimulus packages adopted to support the economy and the citizens, according to some experts, have had positive effect contributing to job security, which has been confirmed by the IMF. The developmental component, according to experts, is of exceptional importance when it comes to supporting the recovery, and the government has announced to focus more on investments and digitization in the upcoming period. The energy crisis remains a challenge in the new year, which will show whether or not there is enough electricity, how much it will cost, and how much the crisis will reflect on the companies’ work. Some experts recommend conserving energy and to be disciplined. Professor Marjan Petreski of the University American College Skopje says that, as an overall contingent, the impact of the stimulus packages has been significantly positive, preventing a significantly larger drop in income. Washington – President Joe Biden said that the US and its allies would “respond decisively” if Russia further invaded Ukraine, in a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday. Cape Town – After the major fire at the weekend in South Africa’s parliament building, the cost of rebuilding the historic structure is estimated at the equivalent of several hundred million dollars. Khartoum – Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok announced late Sunday he was stepping down, saying he had failed to prevent the political upheaval that has roiled the North African nation since a military coup two months ago. Berlin – Luuk de Jong scored the only goal of the game as a severely depleted Barcelona edged past Real Mallorca 1-0 in LaLiga on Sunday.