20 October 2021 Skopje – A total of 13 complaints have been filed to the State Election Commission (SEC) over the election process, and the process of counting and verification of election results. Skopje – North Macedonia has made great progress in the judiciary system, says Minister of Justice Bojan Marichikj, concerning the European Commission’s progress report which was released on Tuesday. Skopje – Vaccination against COVID-19 is taking place uninterrupted across North Macedonia. Until October 17, 49.4% of population over 18 has had the first dose of the COVID-19 jab, as have 57% of people over 40, and 33% of those between 18 and 39, the Ministry of Health said in a press release on Wednesday. Skopje – North Macedonia is one of the first countries to adopt a National Energy Development Strategy up to 2040. Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, we’ve adopted a revised national contribution to reduce greenhouse gases. We’ve established as many as 63 climate action plans which are directly connected to 15 sustainable development goals, said President Stevo Pendarovski, who opened the Youth Climate Summit in Skopje, backed by UNICEF, alongside the embassies of Italy, Sweden and the UK. Skopje – North Macedonia has the highest level of preparation with an average score of 3.02 in terms of Cluster 1: The Fundamentals of the Accession Process,  even in relation to countries that have been negotiating membership for several years. Serbia’s average score is 2.68, while that of Montenegro is 2.83, according to initial analysis of the EC progress report on the country, Deputy PM for European Affairs Nikola Dimitrov said Wednesday. Skopje – Youth are asking for more opportunities and space for young people to be involved in the climate action and are calling decision markers and the national authorizes to take climate action, UNICEF Representative in North Macedonia Patrizia DiGiovanni said ahead of the Youth Climate Summit, which is taking place at the Youth Cultural Center MKC on Wednesday. Skopje – The European Commission reaffirmed that the Republic of North Macedonia had met criteria to start membership negotiations and stressed that the delay affects the EU’s credibility, EU Ambassador David Geer said Wednesday presenting the Commission’s progress report on North Macedonia. Skopje – Minister of Defence Radmila Shekerinska attended on Wednesday at NATO’s Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe a street-naming ceremony during which a central roundabout at the command was named after North Macedonia’s capital, Skopje. Skopje – The whole process, we as well as the EU’s policies toward the region, are held in a way hostage by historical issues, Deputy Prime Minister Nikola Dimitrov said Wednesday when asked to comment the reactions by the Bulgarian MEPs during yesterday’s address of European Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi in Strasburg claiming that the citizens with Bulgarian self-awareness have been discriminated against in North Macedonia and their human rights have been violated. Skopje – North Macedonia on Wednesday registered 487 new COVID-19 infections, including 230 in Skopje, after 3,491 tests were conducted in labs across the country in the past 24 hours. In the same time period, 15 deaths and 1,487 recoveries were registered, the Health Ministry said. Skopje – It’s better to be surprised by good news because we’ve had enough disappointments and false hope. It’s important that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the European Council President Charles Michel are showing interest and making efforts at this stage, which gives us hope for a breakthrough, although we have to be careful with our hopes and expectations. It’s time to show responsibility and think about where we want the region to be five, ten years from now, Deputy PM for European Affairs Nikola Dimitrov told a joint press conference with EU Ambassador to North Macedonia David Geer on Wednesday, during which they presented the European Commission’s progress report on North Macedonia. Brussels – The office of the EU’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, on Wednesday released a statement following the recent meeting between Borrell and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken last week in Washington during which the EU and United States agreed to further strengthen their joint engagement in the Western Balkans in support of the region’s progress on its European path, MIA reports from Brussels. Moscow – Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday backed a Cabinet proposal to declare a work-free week in the country in order to stem a dramatic rise in coronavirus cases.