Macedonian Content Farmers Podcast

Football fever takes over the podcast as Jason marvels at the strange alliances that Balkan people are prone to when it comes to rooting at the World Cup. We also cover the political developments, as Macedonia might be heading to elections next year, amid consolidation of the Government. And we kvetch about the hot weather. Music by: - Mizar (Pocesna strelba - Last salute) With gratitude to Mark S...

Jason is in Macedonia to mark the 30th anniversary of his adventures in this country, and that’s a good opportunity for an in-person episode of the pod. We sat down as some movement was reported from Tivat, the Montenegrin port city that hosts the EU - Balkans summit, where both France and Germany announced a new plan for enlargement that should finally move the region forward to the EU. We discus...

We made it to episode 200! And Jason noticed that we were talking about Orban back in episode 1, so now we are right back to where we started. Sadly, Orban is out (for the time being) but we discuss the movement that he built and if it can survive. Of course, it wouldn’t be much of a Macedonian Content Farmers podcast episode if we didn’t also discuss Bulgaria Music by: - Mizar (Pocesna strelba -...

This was supposed to be a podcast on Macedonia, of course, but we had the stupid idea to just mention Iran, off the top. And of course, we now have a full podcast on the war. Cvetin and Jason generally disagree with how things are going, the gameplan, the timing and how it will affect what was a budding right wing revolution. Give it a listen Music by: - Mizar (Pocesna strelba - Last salute) With...

Cvetin and Jason get together to discuss political changes in Bulgaria, and how that could reflect on Macedonia and the historic dispute that blocks our EU integration. We also talk about the latest depths to which SDSM has sunk, with their new propaganda campaign and where it may borrow its inspiration from. Give it a listen Music by: - Mizar (Pocesna strelba - Last salute) With gratitude to Mark...

Jason and Cvetin do a rare in-person recording of the Macedonian Content Farmers podcast, at the foot of Vodno mountain in Skopje. We cover the news of the 2025 and give our expectations for 2026, in the political sphere, the economy and how the turmoil in Europe can affect Macedonia. Give it a listen Music by: - Mizar (Pocesna strelba - Last salute) With gratitude to Mark Steyn for giving us the...

Important local elections took place both in Macedonia and in NYC, with some similarities in the candidates, but different outcomes. We dive deep into the elections in Macedonia, the inter-ethnic angle, and discuss who is now the largest opposition party in the country. We also lament what New York is about to be exposed to - may it serve as a warning to others. Music by: - Mizar (Pocesna strelba...

The local elections in Macedonia resolved a number of issues - such as the hastening end of Ali Ahmeti, but also raised a number of new ones. Cvetin and Jason discuss the major dual victory of VMRO and VLEN, the splintering of SDSM, the dirty tricks (literally) played in the capital, and how will VMRO manage the Albanian parties in the future. Give it a listen. Music by: - Mizar (Pocesna strelba -...

With local elections a week away, Cvetin and Jason sit down to talk about the overwhelming advantage VMRO enjoys in the race, but also the plans to set a trap for VMRO in the future, using the DUI party that wants to be a thorn in the side of the Government. And of course, because a lot of things happened since our last episode, we talk about the Charlie Kirk assassination, the raging left and the...

A rare, in-person episode of the Macedonian Content Farmers podcast is before you, with Jason visiting Macedonia in time for our 34th independence anniversary. And he's here just in time for the major wiretapping scandal, as revelations are coming up that the SDSM - DUI regime was spying on Mickoski, a group of critical journalists and even on some of their own who strayed from the reservation. Gi...

Jason and Cvetin get together for an update on the generally slow political summer in Macedonia. The game is now firmly one of VMRO vs DUI, with SDSM in a secondary role supporting Ahmeti's party. And the field chosen by DUI is one of ethnic strife and tensions - which is the only area they can compete in. We also discuss the uphill battle Macedonia faces in getting its truth across on social medi...

Cvetin and Jason are back to discuss several burning issues about Macedonia. For one, the attempt to include the Macedonian national identity and language in the progress report of the European Parliament, which would then have put Macedonia on the spot to meet the Bulgarian demands, failed. Bulgarian members of the European Parliament managed to drum up support among most of the other representat...

An initiative to secure national identity guarantees for Macedonia from the European Parliament faces loud opposition from the Bulgarian representatives, who are even accusing a hapless Austrian Green MEP of corruption. Cvetin and Jason discuss whether this is something that could unlock the dispute and allow Macedonia to open the EU accession talks. We also discuss the state of play in the Albani...

Macedonia is on the verge of a strategic partnership agreement with the United Kingdom. The unexpected news broke over the past few weeks, and it will enable the country to borrow billions under favorable terms to develop infrastructure. The deal is likely to cause a deep political realignment, which has the left panicking, and even launching a migrant-panic campaign, as they lose yet another majo...

More than a month later, Macedonia is still reeling from the disastrous nightclub fire in Kocani, that killed over 60 young people. The magnitude of the disaster deeply shook the nation. We are still looking for ways to cope with its effects. There is a push for soul searching and looking for steps we could take that would bring some closure to the families. One thing that all agree on is the need...

Trump has been President for almost two months and our reviews are in. It's been a crazy ride, and while we lament that we didn't see this version of Trump in 2017, when we needed him most, better late then never. We discuss the effects of his presidency so far on Macedonia, with the government lining up behind him, and the opposition SDSM apoplectic now that they are losing the preferential statu...

Ok, things are officially up to 11. Cvetin and Jason discuss President Trump's decision to dismantle USAID, an organization which has had tremendous political influence in Macedonia, through the funding of the Colored Revolution. We talk about what this could mean for the political situation in the country, the relationship of power between the left and the right and some of the crazier antics tha...

It's an in-person, in-Macedonia recorded Inauguration Day episode. Jason and Cvetin talk about the momentous event that is transpiring before our eyes, as well as Prime Minister Mickoski's visit to Washington for the inauguration, on invitation of Rumble owner Chris Pavlovski. We offer our hopes and prayers for a successful and transformative presidency and discuss how it could affect Macedonia an...

It was an event packed week, as the US Embassy intervened in the Albanian protests and nipped them in the bud. Artan Grubi, the bad boy beloved by the "international community" in Skopje, found himself on the State Department black list, and likely facing serious corruption investigations, dragging down with him any momentum Ali Ahmeti's DUI party built up since the protests we covered in the last...

The prediction Mickoski was making for months has come true - DUI is trying to stir up ethnic tensions in Macedonia. The Government insists that this is because serious investigations are finally about to begin, and DUI is afraid. Either way, the Albanian flag day celebrations were rowdy, with deliberate nationalist provocations, and now we are facing arrests and potential for instability (as tens...

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We are getting to the endgame in the US elections, so Jason and Cvetin sit down to discuss how the outcome over there will affect things over here. We are facing DUI plans for major protests in late November, driven by a recent court decision to stop the unmerited hiring of Albanians in the public service, which provoked even a New York Times article. And we are looking into the latest scuffles wi...

It's that time of the month, where we have to do a show on Bulgaria. After some optimism on this issue in the previous episode, the dispute is now back with a vengeance, with both sides alleging that they are mortally insulted by the other, and the prospect of even holding a meeting in the near future, let alone having constructive dialogue, looks dim. We explain what happened, who is to blame, as...

Jason and Cvetin sit down in Skopje, for a rare, in-person edition of the podcast, as the country is about to celebrate the 33rd anniversary of its independence. Or, as we see it, the 4th reboot of the country, after the first three attempts were rudely interrupted by external, and unfortunately internal, forces. We also discuss other small countries in a similar trajectory, as Estonia, Churchill...

Things are quiet in Macedonia, with the new Government taking over and the opposition nowhere to be seen. But what about the rumors that we can expect ethnic strife, protests and tensions in the autumn? Cvetin and Jason discuss about this possibility, and also, how the US elections will influence the political and ethnic stability of Macedonia. Music by: - Mizar (Pocesna strelba - Last salute) Wit...