20th January 2017 Skopje, North Macedonia
Në malet e larta të Sharit në Maqedoni, ajri ka shije të shampanjës. Pas pesë orëve duke e pirë, ecja jonë sot na raskapiti por na gazmoi. Është e mrekullueshme të rikthehem në Maqedoni. Ka nëntë vjet që nga çasti kur eca në Malin Sharr. Aso kohe, kur isha në postin e Ambasadorit Britanik në […]
18th January 2017 Skopje, North Macedonia
High up in Macedonia’s Shar Planina mountains the air tastes like champagne. And after five hours of drinking it in, our walk today has left us tired but happy. It’s great to be back in Macedonia. It is nine years since I walked in the Shar Planina. Back then, when I was serving as British […]
11th November 2016 Skopje, North Macedonia
Early October 1918 Corporal George Henry Carter, M2/130656 of the 880th Motor Transport Convoy, Army Service Corps writes to his wife Minnie. His letter, written and indeed read with hope and optimism speaks of change. He confirms an Armistice had been reached with the Bulgarians; ‘…the Germans are about done too, So I am looking […]
3rd November 2016 Skopje, North Macedonia
On 11 November we will mark the ninety-eighth anniversary of the Armistice which ended the First World War. The guns on the Western Front finally fell silent at eleven o’clock on the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918 after four years of war which left millions of victims and devastated countries. Each year […]
25th October 2016 Skopje, North Macedonia
I attended a conference on investigative journalism recently and had the chance to meet both journalists and those who support them. I took the opportunity to thank them for the difficult, and sometimes dangerous job they do. A job which is so important to the public interest and for which few journalists get the recognition […]
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11th October 2016 Skopje, North Macedonia
Last week I joined the Ombudsman of Macedonia and Sakam da Kazam to officially mark our three-way cooperation on a new project Speak Up for the Ombudsman. From this autumn until spring 2018 this project will provide one more channel to give voice to citizens of Macedonia who need help from the Ombudsman. The aims […]
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15th September 2016 London, UKSkopje, North Macedonia
Today, 15 September, is International Day of Democracy – celebrated each year by the UN and its members. Why celebrate a system of government? What’s so special about democracy? I think the answer is simple. Democracy is the only system of Government that puts ordinary people at its centre. It ensures the people have a […]
6th September 2016 Skopje, North Macedonia
I spent this morning in conversation with Macedonia’s Justice Minister Valdet Xhaferi and the Centre for Legal Research and Analysis (CLRA), a Skopje-based civil society organisation. The topic was how we can strengthen the judicial system in Macedonia. And our conversation formed part of the launch of a programme of activities led by the CLRA […]
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19th August 2016 Skopje, North Macedonia
It’s been three years since I was posted as Defence Attaché for Macedonia, Kosovo and Albania and during that time I have enjoyed the opportunity to attend the different army celebration events in the region. For Macedonia it is 18 August, the Macedonian Army Day. It is a day when the President, as Commander-in-Chief, heads […]
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17th August 2016 Skopje, North Macedonia
For me, most of August and September will be one massive nostalgia trip. Seven years ago I packed my bags and left the Foreign Office to join the team organising London 2012. I spent three years there on secondment as Head of International Relations. And then from July to September we put on the best […]