North Macedonia
Summary
North Macedonia gained its independence peacefully from Yugoslavia in 1991 under the name of “Macedonia.” Greek objection to the new country’s name, insisting it implied territorial pretensions to the northern Greek province of Macedonia, and democratic backsliding for several years stalled the country’s movement toward Euro-Atlantic integration. Immediately after Macedonia declared independence, Greece sought to block Macedonian efforts to gain UN membership if the name “Macedonia” was used. The country was eventually admitted to the UN in 1993 as “The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,” and at the same time it agreed to UN-sponsored negotiations on the name dispute. In 1995, Greece lifted a 20-month trade embargo and the two countries agreed to normalize relations, but the issue of the name remained unresolved and negotiations for a solution continued. Over time, the US and over 130 other nations recognized Macedonia by its constitutional name, Republic of Macedonia. Ethnic Albanian grievances over perceived political and economic inequities escalated into a conflict in 2001 that eventually led to the internationally brokered Ohrid Framework Agreement, which ended the fighting and established guidelines for constitutional amendments and the creation of new laws that enhanced the rights of minorities. In January 2018, the government adopted a new law on languages, which elevated the Albanian language to an official language at the national level, with the Macedonian language remaining the sole official language in international relations. Relations between ethnic Macedonians and ethnic Albanians remain complicated, however.
North Macedonia’s pro-Western government has used its time in office since 2017 to sign a historic deal with Greece in June 2018 to end the name dispute and revive Skopje’s NATO and EU membership prospects. This followed a nearly three-year political crisis that engulfed the country but ended in June 2017 following a six-month-long government formation period after a closely contested election in December 2016. The crisis began after the 2014 legislative and presidential election, and escalated in 2015 when the opposition party began releasing wiretapped material that revealed alleged widespread government corruption and abuse. Although an EU candidate since 2005, North Macedonia has yet to open EU accession negotiations. The country still faces challenges, including fully implementing reforms to overcome years of democratic backsliding and stimulating economic growth and development. In June 2018, Macedonia and Greece signed the Prespa Accord whereby the Republic of Macedonia agreed to change its name to the Republic of North Macedonia. Following ratification by both countries, the agreement went in to force on 12 February 2019. North Macedonia signed an accession protocol to become a NATO member state in February 2019. [1]
📷: Wikipedia
Statistics
From the The Joshua Project [2]
In the News
📷: Wikipedia
Prayer Guide
Almost every Protestant/Independent expression of faith is active and increasing. Even so, there are fewer than 100 evangelical congregations. Pray for the many challenges of and opportunities for the Church:
a) Opposition. The label of “cult” persists, but is slowly fading for evangelicals. Obstructive tactics by the government often hold back the church from building the facilities needed to host the growing congregations. Pray for favour from the government and a humble attitude from the Church.
b) Unity. Expressions of oneness in Christ are increasing, including pastors’ prayer summits and networks, citywide worship events, and even websites focused on the issue. Pray that believers might press into true unity and that Christians’ love for one another might attract many to Christ.
c) Church planting, evangelism and mission. Macedonian believers “punch above their weight” in terms of outward-focused ministry. Many congregations look to reproduce and so deliberately move into cities and neighbourhoods previously unevangelized. House churches are a great part of this focus. Pray for a grassroots movement that sees the numbers of Macedonian believers rapidly multiply. Indigenous groups such as Macedonian Mission to the Balkans (reaching all ethnicities in the southern regions of the former Yugoslavia) are impacting Macedonia as well as neighbouring countries.
d) Training and discipleship. The first (non-Orthodox) theological school in the country is being planned – Macedonia Bible Seminary is aiming to open by autumn 2010. In the meantime, ministries such as SEND, YWAM and SGA all focus on raising up mature and biblically literate believers. Generally, multiple small congregations increase the need for leaders, yet are a better structure in which to disciple Christians.
The ethnic minorities are numerous, and all are in need of ministry.
a) Albanians represent 25% of Macedonia’s population, and their numbers are rapidly increasing through birth rates and immigration. Greater tensions between Albanians – with their demands for increasing political influence – and the majority of Macedonians seem inevitable, but neither group desires the upheaval suffered in neighbouring Kosovo. Almost all Macedonian Albanians are unevangelized Muslims, but there is an openness to loving witness. Thus far, there are no groups of Christians from a Macedonian Albanian background.
b) The Romani population is chronically poor, oppressed, uneducated, unemployed and captive to a blend of Islam and folk superstitions. Sutka, near Skopje, is home to many of Macedonia’s 80,000 Romani and is one of the largest Romani communities in the world. YWAM, Pioneers, the Methodists, Pentecostals and Baptists are all seeing fruit among the Romani.
c) The Turkish community lives mainly in eastern Macedonia. There are a handful of believers, but no evangelical church among them. A few groups are now engaged in outreach to them.
[3]