1 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:35,000 mainly Macedonians of Slav origin, but a quarter of the population is Albanian. 2 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:37,500 The country managed to maintain a fragile peace 3 00:00:37,500 --> 00:00:41,000 during the violent breakup of Yugoslavia in the early 90s. 4 00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:46,500 But it couldn't withstand the aftershocks of the Kosovo crisis in 1999. 5 00:00:46,500 --> 00:00:49,500 Ethnic conflict was ignited between Albanian rebels 6 00:00:49,500 --> 00:00:52,000 and Macedonian security forces. 7 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:55,000 By then the EU had learned many lessons in the Balkans. 8 00:00:55,000 --> 00:00:57,500 This time it deployed a major diplomatic effort 9 00:00:57,500 --> 00:01:02,500 to stop the conflict from degenerating into all-out civil war. 10 00:01:04,500 --> 00:01:08,500 The Orat Peace Agreement was signed under the umbrella of EU and NATO. 11 00:01:08,500 --> 00:01:10,500 The Albanian rebels disarmed, 12 00:01:10,500 --> 00:01:13,500 and the Macedonians agreed to give the Albanian minority 13 00:01:13,500 --> 00:01:17,500 greater rights as well as decentralized powers. 14 00:01:17,500 --> 00:01:20,500 Izet Meksiti is the mayor of Chere, 15 00:01:20,500 --> 00:01:24,500 the oldest and most colorful part of Skopje, a mainly Albanian area. 16 00:01:24,500 --> 00:01:29,500 He wants to improve living conditions in this charming but rather chaotic urban quarter. 17 00:01:29,500 --> 00:01:33,500 He believes the changes brought by the peace agreement really make a difference. 18 00:01:35,500 --> 00:01:37,500 There's been big progress. 19 00:01:37,500 --> 00:01:40,500 When you go into areas which have an Albanian majority, 20 00:01:40,500 --> 00:01:44,500 you can see Albanian flags flying there. 21 00:01:44,500 --> 00:01:48,500 And that doesn't worry anyone. 22 00:01:48,500 --> 00:01:51,500 This is a real change. 23 00:01:51,500 --> 00:01:56,500 A couple of years ago, back in 1997, this kind of thing was unthinkable. 24 00:02:01,500 --> 00:02:05,500 Ethnic Albanians now play a much bigger role in the local community. 25 00:02:05,500 --> 00:02:08,500 There used to be only one Albanian police officer in Chere. 26 00:02:08,500 --> 00:02:11,500 Now a third of the force is Albanian. 27 00:02:13,500 --> 00:02:16,500 Mixed patrols are more important because the population is mixed, 28 00:02:16,500 --> 00:02:20,500 and it needs policemen who know the Albanian language, 29 00:02:20,500 --> 00:02:22,500 who can respond to the demands of the population, 30 00:02:22,500 --> 00:02:27,500 and who can communicate easily between the Albanian people and the police. 31 00:02:39,500 --> 00:02:43,500 Elana Alibasic Jonas is Macedonian of Slav origin. 32 00:02:43,500 --> 00:02:46,500 She works in the legal department of the Chere local authority. 33 00:02:46,500 --> 00:02:49,500 Increasing numbers of her colleagues these days are Albanian. 34 00:02:49,500 --> 00:02:53,500 Although it was initially hard for the majority of the citizens to accept the reforms, 35 00:02:53,500 --> 00:02:56,500 she believes it was for the best. 36 00:02:57,500 --> 00:03:01,500 35,000 of our local people are Albanians, 37 00:03:01,500 --> 00:03:07,500 and that fact is enough to justify the official use of Albanian language in our municipality. 38 00:03:07,500 --> 00:03:11,500 We don't have any problems in communicating with citizens 39 00:03:11,500 --> 00:03:14,500 or among ourselves in the administration. 40 00:03:14,500 --> 00:03:17,500 That's just how it is. 41 00:03:20,500 --> 00:03:24,500 Now in Chaea, the two flags fly side by side, 42 00:03:24,500 --> 00:03:27,500 something not allowed in the past. 43 00:03:28,500 --> 00:03:32,500 When brokering the peace agreement, EU leaders had a major card to play, 44 00:03:32,500 --> 00:03:34,500 the prospect of EU integration, 45 00:03:34,500 --> 00:03:38,500 an essential incentive to build consensus within the divided society. 46 00:03:38,500 --> 00:03:43,500 Across ethnic lines, people are convinced that Europe is the right path to follow. 47 00:03:44,500 --> 00:03:48,500 As a small country in the turbulent Balkan region, 48 00:03:48,500 --> 00:03:53,500 Macedonia unanimously supports membership of NATO and the EU. 49 00:03:54,500 --> 00:03:58,500 We are a natural geographic part of Europe. 50 00:03:58,500 --> 00:04:03,500 Uniting the continent would not only be good for us, but for Europe as well. 51 00:04:04,500 --> 00:04:08,500 National disputes and relations between Albanians and Macedonians 52 00:04:08,500 --> 00:04:10,500 would not make headlines anymore 53 00:04:10,500 --> 00:04:14,500 because people would not have time to spend on such stupidities. 54 00:04:18,500 --> 00:04:22,500 Views shared by Prime Minister Vlado Bukovski. 55 00:04:24,500 --> 00:04:28,500 We've been able to resolve inter-ethnic conflict in Macedonia 56 00:04:28,500 --> 00:04:30,500 especially the crisis in 2001 57 00:04:30,500 --> 00:04:35,500 because everybody knew that the agreement would facilitate our path to Europe, 58 00:04:35,500 --> 00:04:38,500 an ambition shared by everybody in Macedonia. 59 00:04:38,500 --> 00:04:42,500 It's clear to everybody that it's time for this part of the Balkans, 60 00:04:42,500 --> 00:04:46,500 including Macedonia, to finally become part of a united Europe. 61 00:04:46,500 --> 00:04:49,500 Joining the EU will not solve all our problems, 62 00:04:49,500 --> 00:04:54,500 but it will mean more possibilities and more prospects for the young generation. 63 00:04:54,500 --> 00:04:58,500 The prospect of joining the EU is cementing the society together. 64 00:04:58,500 --> 00:05:03,500 Both communities are ready to make big efforts and compromises to reach that goal. 65 00:05:03,500 --> 00:05:07,500 But first, the multi-ethnic state must prove its stability 66 00:05:07,500 --> 00:05:10,500 and there are ambitious reforms on the agenda. 67 00:05:12,500 --> 00:05:16,500 Rada Jankovski is the chief of the country's border police. 68 00:05:16,500 --> 00:05:19,500 He is a member of the Security Council, 69 00:05:20,500 --> 00:05:24,500 Rada Jankovski is the chief of the country's border police. 70 00:05:24,500 --> 00:05:28,500 From the air, he inspects the border below with neighbouring Albania. 71 00:05:28,500 --> 00:05:31,500 The border police is a brand new service. 72 00:05:31,500 --> 00:05:34,500 Until recently, it was the army which controlled the frontiers, 73 00:05:34,500 --> 00:05:37,500 an inheritance of the former communist regime. 74 00:05:37,500 --> 00:05:41,500 Now it's in civilian hands, one of the many requirements for joining the EU. 75 00:05:43,500 --> 00:05:47,500 On the ground, he takes stock of the work of his border patrol units 76 00:05:47,500 --> 00:05:50,500 operating across Lake Ohrid. 77 00:05:54,500 --> 00:05:57,500 It was a must for the European Union. 78 00:05:57,500 --> 00:06:01,500 We had to establish a border police, a democratic border service, 79 00:06:01,500 --> 00:06:05,500 a democratic police service, and to get rid of the old way of work. 80 00:06:05,500 --> 00:06:08,500 When guarding the border was the responsibility 81 00:06:08,500 --> 00:06:11,500 of the Ministry of Defence and the army. 82 00:06:12,500 --> 00:06:16,500 There is close surveillance of this lake bordering Albania. 83 00:06:16,500 --> 00:06:20,500 It's being patrolled by air, by boat and by land. 84 00:06:20,500 --> 00:06:23,500 The new border police has to demonstrate its commitment 85 00:06:23,500 --> 00:06:26,500 to fight and halt organised crime. 86 00:06:29,500 --> 00:06:33,500 We discovered recently two typical cases of human trafficking. 87 00:06:33,500 --> 00:06:37,500 We found a vehicle adapted for the transport of illegal immigrants, 88 00:06:38,500 --> 00:06:41,500 with a special compartment constructed under the floor 89 00:06:41,500 --> 00:06:44,500 and eight immigrants inside. 90 00:06:45,500 --> 00:06:49,500 In another similar vehicle, we found 13 illegal immigrants. 91 00:06:57,500 --> 00:07:01,500 An effective police force must work hand in hand with an efficient judiciary. 92 00:07:01,500 --> 00:07:05,500 An area identified by the EU is still very problematic. 93 00:07:06,500 --> 00:07:08,500 Facts speak for themselves. 94 00:07:08,500 --> 00:07:12,500 There are more than 700,000 cases pending in the courts today, 95 00:07:12,500 --> 00:07:16,500 in a country with a population of just over 2 million people. 96 00:07:16,500 --> 00:07:18,500 The backlog is enormous, 97 00:07:18,500 --> 00:07:22,500 and there's a shortage of competent judges and lawyers. 98 00:07:22,500 --> 00:07:24,500 Renate Winter is an Austrian judge. 99 00:07:24,500 --> 00:07:27,500 She's in charge of a European Commission project 100 00:07:27,500 --> 00:07:29,500 to train judges and prosecutors. 101 00:07:29,500 --> 00:07:32,500 She's convinced that judicial reform is essential. 102 00:07:33,500 --> 00:07:37,500 How do we have the possibilities for investments in the country 103 00:07:37,500 --> 00:07:40,500 if the justice system cannot follow? 104 00:07:40,500 --> 00:07:44,500 Would you like to go there and invest if you do not know 105 00:07:44,500 --> 00:07:48,500 if you have a problem that this problem is going to be solved? 106 00:07:48,500 --> 00:07:51,500 You wouldn't, no? And everyone knows that. 107 00:07:51,500 --> 00:07:55,500 So everyone really interested tries. 108 00:07:55,500 --> 00:07:59,500 But as I said before, the will has to come from each and every side. 109 00:08:00,500 --> 00:08:04,500 If the will is there, I would say the capacity is there. 110 00:08:04,500 --> 00:08:06,500 This is Skopje's central court. 111 00:08:06,500 --> 00:08:11,500 Today, a high-level civil servant is on trial for misuse of public funds. 112 00:08:11,500 --> 00:08:14,500 A case which the EU has followed with close interest 113 00:08:14,500 --> 00:08:18,500 in a country where independence of judges is often questioned. 114 00:08:21,500 --> 00:08:24,500 We want a systemic solution 115 00:08:24,500 --> 00:08:28,500 which will prevent political influence on the judiciary, 116 00:08:28,500 --> 00:08:32,500 and especially government influence on the selection of judges. 117 00:08:33,500 --> 00:08:38,500 That's why I am absolutely in favour of a new mechanism of selection of judges 118 00:08:38,500 --> 00:08:41,500 and members of the Judicial Council. 119 00:08:46,500 --> 00:08:50,500 An independent judiciary is one of the main pillars of democracy 120 00:08:50,500 --> 00:08:54,500 that people realise that the path to Europe will require big changes. 121 00:08:54,500 --> 00:08:56,500 In his TV show, Zoom on Europe, 122 00:08:56,500 --> 00:09:00,500 Boryan Jovanovski explores what joining Europe really means. 123 00:09:00,500 --> 00:09:04,500 This week, the well-known journalist guest is from the Orthodox Church, 124 00:09:04,500 --> 00:09:07,500 the religion of the Macedonian Slav majority. 125 00:09:07,500 --> 00:09:10,500 Under discussion, European values. 126 00:09:11,500 --> 00:09:14,500 Boryan's weekly challenge is to open up the eyes of his audience 127 00:09:14,500 --> 00:09:16,500 to the wider European scene. 128 00:09:19,500 --> 00:09:21,500 A part of the public supports the EU 129 00:09:21,500 --> 00:09:24,500 because they think Europe will bring them better standards. 130 00:09:26,500 --> 00:09:29,500 But I think it's also because of a more important aspect, 131 00:09:29,500 --> 00:09:32,500 and that is the survival of the Macedonian state as we know it today, 132 00:09:32,500 --> 00:09:36,500 which I believe the majority of our citizens would like to preserve, 133 00:09:36,500 --> 00:09:39,500 and that depends on European integration. 134 00:09:40,500 --> 00:09:43,500 I think that the EU has already, in a way, 135 00:09:43,500 --> 00:09:48,500 integrated this country as a partner. 136 00:09:49,500 --> 00:09:53,500 It is a really all-encompassing type of support 137 00:09:53,500 --> 00:09:58,500 which has made possible the stabilisation 138 00:09:58,500 --> 00:10:04,500 and I hope also more tangible developments 139 00:10:04,500 --> 00:10:08,500 in the economic and the social life. 140 00:10:10,500 --> 00:10:12,500 The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 141 00:10:12,500 --> 00:10:15,500 has already achieved a lot in turning its back on conflict 142 00:10:15,500 --> 00:10:19,500 and setting out on the path towards a stable, multi-ethnic state. 143 00:10:19,500 --> 00:10:22,500 But those achievements remain fragile. 144 00:10:22,500 --> 00:10:24,500 Any doubt about the firm commitment of the EU 145 00:10:24,500 --> 00:10:27,500 to open its doors when the country is ready 146 00:10:27,500 --> 00:10:29,500 would have a disastrous effect. 147 00:10:31,500 --> 00:10:34,500 Not only Macedonia, all countries of the region, 148 00:10:34,500 --> 00:10:36,500 without a clear European perspective, 149 00:10:36,500 --> 00:10:39,500 will, by definition, return to the past. 150 00:10:40,500 --> 00:10:43,500 And the recent past in this part of the world 151 00:10:43,500 --> 00:10:45,500 was painful and tragic. 152 00:10:45,500 --> 00:10:48,500 It will mean that the dominant topic will again be 153 00:10:48,500 --> 00:10:51,500 relations between Macedonians and Albanians. 154 00:10:51,500 --> 00:10:53,500 Now, four years after the crisis, 155 00:10:53,500 --> 00:10:56,500 we already feel that we have turned attention 156 00:10:56,500 --> 00:10:58,500 to the issues of economic development 157 00:10:58,500 --> 00:11:02,500 and that's what matters most for the everyday life of our people. 158 00:11:03,500 --> 00:11:06,500 Here, the word Europe still holds the same meaning today 159 00:11:06,500 --> 00:11:08,500 as it did when the European Community 160 00:11:08,500 --> 00:11:11,500 was originally established after the Second World War. 161 00:11:11,500 --> 00:11:13,500 It represents the hope of economic development, 162 00:11:13,500 --> 00:11:16,500 of stability and, most of all, of peace.