Dear visitor, Welcome at the website of the Netherlands Embassy in Skopje, Macedonia.  Let me start by wishing you a very healthy, happy and successful 2010! The Netherlands has longstanding relations with Macedonia. Macedonia  forms part of the Dutch World Bank Constituency and till 2011, Macedonia is a Partner Country in the context of Dutch Development Co-operation. Macedonia is also a future NATO partner and an EU candidate country. Dutch EU pre-accession instruments like MATRA are open for Macedonia with a view to contribute to effective transformation and reform processes assisting Macedonia to become a successful, prosperous and reliable EU member state, sharing our values regarding rule of law, democracy, tolerance and human rights.   Partly because of the books of the Dutch writer A. den Doolaard large amounts of Dutch tourists visited Macedonia in the past. Again we see a growing number of Dutch tourists, discovering the beauties of the country and the hospitality of its people. Our embassy aims at substantially increasing the presence of Dutch companies in Macedonia and further boosting the trade and investment figures. We have some interesting support programmes available to that end. A Dutch-Macedonian Chamber of Commerce will be established in January, providing adequate services to any Dutch company interested in trade or investment opportunities in Macedonia, whenever necessary in close coordination with the Embassy. Important news is the direct flight Amterdam-Skopje/Ohrid that will be executed by the biggest Dutch Charter Carrier Transavia on a weekly basis - and if necessary more often - between April and November 2010, bringing Macedonia at a 2,5 hour distance from Schiphol Airport and providing for an excellent hub to any Macedonian flying homefrom the US or Canada.      We are an enthusiastic team, ready to assist you and serious about our open-door-policy! Please feel free to get in touch with us with any questions, queries or suggestions you have ( sko@minbuza.nl)! Simone Filippini Ambassador
The Real Man Never Hits a Woman!   Campaign against domestic violence implemented by UNFPA and the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy with the financial support of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

 

Risima Risimkin A Guest Choreographer at the Rotterdam Dance Academy In January 2010, Macedonian choreographer Risima Risimkin was a guest to the Rotterdam Dance Academy, one of the most prestigious modern dance academies in the world.She was a guest choreographer for their most recent co-production project called  "The 3rd”, a project implemented as a co-operation  between TANC FEST SKOPJE and the Rotterdam Dance Academy.  The cooperation is one of the activities jointly realised in the last few years between these two dance centres (INTERART and the Rotterdam Dance Academy), and is a part of the greater idea for establishing a Modern Dance Academy in Skopje, Macedonia. Read more...

New Charter Flights between the Netheralnds and Macedonia As of 29 April 2010, Transavia, daughter company of the Dutch national carrier KLM and the biggest and most trusted charter company from the Netherlands, will execute at least 27 charter flights from the Netherlands to Macedonia and vice versa. As a result of the arrangement between Transavia, Karatanova Tours, a Dutch-Macedonian Tour Operator, and Schiphol Airport, this company will fly from Amsterdam to Skopje and Ohrid at least once a week in the period April – October 2010. This will bring Macedonia at a 2.5 hour distance from Schiphol, one of the biggest transit airports worldwide. Download the press release (English and Macedonian)  here.

Management Development Trajectory at the Customs Administration In the period 11-14 January 2010 a promising start has been made of a management development process at the Macedonian Customs Administration. This process is the result of an initiative, taken by the Director of the Macedonian Customs Administration, Mr. Vanco Kargov, and is performed in cooperation with two experts from the Dutch Tax and Customs Administration, Mr. Clemens van Merwijk and Mr. Paul Boer. Read more...

Ambassador Simone Filippini Wins the Annual Diversity Prize Ambassador Simone Filippini won the Annual Diversity Prize awarded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The award is presented by the Secretary General to a head of mission or a director within the Ministry who makes an exceptional effort to ensure a diverse team with a good gender balance, who gives staff opportunities as well as responsibilities and devises creative solutions for combining work and home life. Nominations for this award are accepted from all 150 Netherlands embassies in the world as well as from all departments within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. See photo...

Macedonia presents its tourist attractions at Utrecht Fair Macedonia presented yesterday its tourist attractions at the 39th International Utrecht Tourism Fair, which hosted more than 150 countries. At the fair, organized under the slogan 'colorful world', the country's stand bore the name 'Macedonia Timeless'. The presentation also promoted Macedonian wines, delicacies and ethno-music. Read more...

Structural Support - Model for Progressive Culture     Structural Support - Model for Progressive Culture was the name of the constructive workshop organised by Public Room on 12 and 13 January 2010 in Hotel Karpoš in Skopje. The main objectives of the workshop were to increase the capacities of the cultural sector in Macedonia throughout presentation of contemporary functional model for structural support and to stimulate the creation of domestic model for structural financing build on expertise in countries where the structural support is not a novelty. Read more...

Rijksakademie Call for Entries The Rijksakademie Residency in Amsterdam announces its call for applications for resident artists for the residency that will take place in January-December 2011. The Rijksakademie is an international research and production place for emerging, professional artists from all continents. The Rijksakademie is more than a residency. It has extensive technical facilities, a library and an art collection. In addition, the Rijksakademie offers basic facilities such as a studio, assistance by technical specialists, a work budget, and mediation with accommodation and grants. Read more...

Opening of the First Counselling Centre for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights  On 18 December 2009, the Macedonian Minister of Health Bujar Osmani, the Netherlands Ambassador Simone Filippini and the UNFPA Country Director Mr. Francois Farah opened the first counselling centre for sexual and reproductive health and rights in Skopje. The centre is part of the broader project on sexual and reproductive health and rights which is being implemented by the Ministry of Health and UNFPA, and financed by the Netherlands Embassy in Skopje. Read more...

Ambassador Filippini, Vice Prime Minister Pesevski and Deputy Minister of Agriculture Ivanoski Visit European Plants in Tetovo  Vice Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Vladimir Pesevski, accompanied by Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy, Perica Ivanovski, and Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Macedonia, Simone Filippini, paid a visit Thursday to company "European Plants" in the Tetovo village of Preljubiste. "European Plants" is one of the biggest Dutch investments in the field of agriculture in Macedonia implemented with support of the PSI programme. Read more...

IV Business Newsletter Issued by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands  The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands has prepared the fourth edition of the business newsletter. The new, restyled issue provides relevant news on developments in the economy and trade sector in Macedonia, tenders, investment possibilities and financial instruments available to Macedonian and Dutch companies. Follow this link to download the newsletter and please send us your comments and suggestions on  sko@minbuza.nl.

Manual on National Human Rights Protection Systems On the occasion of 10th of December, the Embassy of the Kingdom of The Netherlands in Skopje and the Coalition "All for Fair Trials" organised a presentation of the Manual on National Human Rights Protection Systems. To download the manual and read more information on this, go here.

Message from Maxime Verhagen on Human Rights Day "Men, women and children, no matter who they are, no matter where they live, no matter what they do, have rights that can never be taken away from them. Governments around the world have an obligation to protect and promote these universal rights, but in many instances, they fail their own citizens...". Read the whole message...

2010 World Press Photo Contest World Press Photo is now inviting professional photographers and photojournalists to enter the 2010 World Press Photo Contest. Entries to the 2010 World Press Photo Contest can only be submitted online. To submit entries online, a user name and password are needed. Both can be requested on our website  www.worldpressphoto.org/contest between 1 December 2009 and 8 January 2010.  Read more...

Dutch Embassy Congratulates Macedonia on the Visa Liberalization Decision The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Skopje welcomes the decision taken by the member states of the EU that Macedonia's citizens will be able to travel without visa to the Schengen area as of 19 December 2009, and congratulates the authorities as well as the citizens of Macedonia on this important achievement. The new visa free regime will apply to all holders of biometric passports, who will be able to travel to the Schengen area for up to 90 days per six-month period. The Schengen area is made up of all EU Member States, except the UK and Ireland, as well as three non-EU members, Iceland, Norway and Switzerland. Download the info-brochures:  EN,  MK,  AL.  Read more...