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THE POLITICAL AND SOCIALCONTEXT WITHIN WHICHCNA WORKSMacedoniaTwo years ago the Ohrid Agreement was made which contained constitutional changes created tominimize the discrimination of ethnic Albanians in Macedonia and provided them with a position ofconstitutional nation (beside Macedonians) in the country.The Agreement foresees the proportional representation of Albanians in public services, regulates theright to use Albanian language in communication with public services etc. The former military leader ofthe Albanian rebellion has become a leader of the strongest political party, gathering Albanians inMacedonia (The Democratic Union for Integration -DUI), building a ruling coalition with Macedonian socialdemocrats(SDSM). This has caused much anger among ethnic Macedonians, who consider him a terrorist.However the politics of the DUI has been a surprise to many people because they have principally stood upin favour of Albanians and Macedonians co-existing in the country. The corruption and criminality thatblossomed and became ubiquitous under the rule of the previous coalition of Albanian and Macedonianparties has been significantly reduced during the mandate of the new government. The former practise ofgiving key positions in the administration to local party officials has also stopped for the most part.Even though, or just because the prosperous criminal business has stopped, armed incidents, bombexplosions, kidnapping and assaults on police are still ongoing.. A group of renegade Albanian militants,who call themselves the Albanian National Army (ANA) continues making occasional attacks, thus keepingup tension amongst citizens and sustaining a high level of distrust between the two ethnic communities.During his recent stay in Macedonia, the author of this article could hear random shooting from automaticrifles and guns, coming from different sides, on some nights just several hundred meters away, on theoutskirts of the Macedonian capital, Skoplje. It is understandable that people from all ethnic groups wholive there are upset and anxiously wait for what may happen. It was touching to hear people who havebeen building their house for 15 years or so, when they describe how they are preparing themselvesemotionally for the possibility of leaving their house and losing their property. It is difficult to keep calmin a situation like that. Why neighbours of those who are shooting at night don’t react - that question sofar remains without answer. Do they fear for themselves, or support these harassing actions (it doesn’t gofurther that that, for now) or is it something else?Even the changes of system, like proportional representation of Albanians in public services, createstension. This is because young Macedonians are wondering why they are losing their jobs to people whoare perhaps less qualified. It is difficult to be sensible or sensitive? in a situation of uncertain existenceand extreme inter-ethnic distrust. The country’s economic weakness makes the situation worse, becauseeveryone’s share gets smaller instead of bigger.During recent events in Macedonia two policemen were kidnapped and soon after were released in apolice action; the next evening, bombs exploded in front of the Government Building in Skoplje and infront of the Court House. The news was released that the police had set off for the village of Aračinovo,nearby Skoplje, in search of the kidnappers. I spoke with an Albanian from that village, whose father waskilled and house was destroyed while he was severely physically abused even though he was not a memberof the Albanian military structure, during this police action that had happened two years ago. He was“kidding” when he told me that in case the police came to his village again, he had just one alternativeand that was to “grab a gun”. I hope he will not do that today.MontenegroThe Montenegrin ruling structure approached the forming of a State Union of Serbia and Montenegrounwillingly, and under pressure from the European Union. That is a new name for the country previouslycalled the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, which inevitably sends Yugoslavia back to history. The32