Yugoslav Republic: December Elections and European Union

yugoslav republic: The simmering tensions in Macedonia and the opposing views of powerful nations have led to concerns that the former Yugoslav republic which narrowly escaped all-out civil war in 2001 could become another flashpoint for increasingly frosty relations between Russia and the West, according to Hamilton Spectator. Political tension has been building in Macedonia for the past two years, and the country has been under a caretaker government since inconclusive early December elections. Russia blamed the West for meddling in the Balkan nation's internal affairs. and The European Union and the United States said the events were inconsistent with democracy. The hostility boiled over Thursday night over disagreements about the election of a new parliament speaker, leaving more than 100 people injured, including police, protesters and lawmakers. In the evening, about 2,000 people held a protest outside the EU mission headquarters in downtown Skopje, calling for new elections. By Friday, the previous night's chaotic scenes had translated into a war of words between rival politicians despite calls for calm from abroad. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.