And I appreciate yours, too.
Thank you.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,1-1016423,00.html On the spot: plane crash kills Balkan leader
Boris Trajkovski
President Boris Trajkovski of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia was killed today in an air crash in southern Bosnia Herzegovina. Nick Hawton reports from Sarajevo.
“It is difficult to say at this early stage, but I see no reason why the death of Mr Trajkovski should plunge the country into political turmoil. The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia currently has a functioning coalition government comprising Macedonians and ethnic Albanians.
“Elections were due to be held later this year in which Mr Trajkovski was likely to retain power. The country is relatively stable politically, compared with the situation in 2001, when inter-ethnic conflict almost plunged it into civil war.
“Ljubco Jordanovski, the speaker of the Macedonian parliament, will step in as interim president until new elections can be held. He has already held meetings with senior officials today.
“One of the last acts that Mr Trajkovski made as President was to sign the country's application for membership of the European Union yesterday.
“Branko Crvenkovski, the country's Prime Minister, took the application to Dublin to hand it over formally to Bertie Ahern, the Irish Prime Minister, at an official presentation ceremony in Dublin today. The ceremony was cancelled when the news broke and Mr Crvenkovski returned to Skopje.
“Mr Trajkovski is probably best known for his instrumental role in halting the 2001 conflict between Macedonians and ethnic Albanians, when the country came close to civil war after the minority Albanians staged a rebellion demanding better rights.
“He was elected President in 1999 and became only the second man to hold the post, as the country declared independence only in 1991. At 47, he was also quite a young President.
“He has managed to keep the more extreme elements of his party separate, but has been criticised by his political rivals for being too close to the West.
“He entered politics in 1998 after graduating from law school in Skopje and studying theology in the United States. He later became a Methodist priest.
“He was President of a country that is struggling economically, with 30 per cent unemployment and which is desperately in need of improvements to its industry. Joining the EU held out the prospect that the country could become more stable and prosperous.
“The EU took over the peacekeeping role in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia from Nato last year, and has also sent a police mission there to help ensure stability.”
http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/world/story/0,4386,237393,00.html Wreckage of Macedonia President's plane found
ROTIMLJA (Bosnia) - The wreckage of the plane in which Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski is presumed to have died was located yesterday in a minefield in southern Bosnia, officials said.
'Yes, they have found it. Yes, it's in a minefield,' said a member of Mr Trajkovski's Cabinet in the capital Skopje.
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'They're trying to figure how to get to the site safely.'
The plane, with eight others on board, came down in rain and fog near Stolac in Bosnia-Herzegovina on Thursday for yet-unknown reasons.
A Nato helicopter was hovering above the site and scouts with de-mining gear were clearing a path to the crash site. There was no word on bodies. -- Reuters
It reminds me of neighbor years ago who was having a problem with someone stealing the Gas out of his gas can for his lawnmower. They would steal the Gas, but leave the Can. So the neighbor got smart and mixed a good amount of water in with the Gas. Sure enough he came back and the can was empty. Needless to say...No one ever stole his Gas again.