Sofia rejects the amendments, the police intervention in Saraj, 397 million euros in interest and snakes at Bogorodica

Sofia shuts the doors Skopje left open

A day after the foreign ministers met, Bulgarian foreign minister Velislava Petrova-Chamova told her own MPs there will be no renegotiation and that constitutional amendments with delayed effect are not acceptable. Writing Bulgarians into the Constitution, according to Sofia, is the first necessary step. Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski, meanwhile, was talking about "the beauty of democracy" and about a dialogue that has begun. Both ideas Skopje brought into the talks were either rejected by Sofia or met with reservations. There is a dialogue - the question is whether one side in it is simply repeating its conditions.

Saraj: one video, two versions and a ministry that is still "checking"

Two young men from Saraj, aged 21 and 23, say police officers kept beating them even after they had been subdued, with their hands tied. The Independent Police Union tells a different story: an operation against drug trafficking, an attempt to run over officers and a service pistol taken from one of them. So far the Interior Ministry only says that internal control is examining all the circumstances. The case quickly took on an ethnic colouring, although the patrol, according to unofficial information, was mixed. Which ethnicity the officer belongs to is not the question. The question is whether a uniform may hit a person who has already been subdued - and when the ministry will say the answer out loud.

New debt to repay the old

The state needs to find 500 million euros for the 2023 Eurobond that matures next year, and Finance Minister Gordana Dimitrieska-Kochoska is announcing a new citizens' bond and new borrowing abroad. Interest alone will cost around 397 million euros in 2027, more than half of all planned capital investment. Public debt is projected above 60 percent of GDP for three years in a row, and the biggest share of the cuts in the budget revision landed precisely on capital investment. Citizens will soon be asked to lend money to the state - before that, they deserve to know what it's for.

The oil crisis is becoming the rule

Mickoski announced that the state of crisis over oil will be extended by another six months, until April. If Parliament gives the green light again, this will be the third extension in a row. In July the decision passed with 88 votes in favour and not a single vote against. When an emergency gets extended on autopilot, someone needs to say clearly by what criteria a crisis begins - and by what criteria it ends.

Holidays, rights and money that never arrives

The Chamber of Commerce wants fewer non-working days. Minister Durmishi says acquired rights will not be cut, while the union reminds everyone that some workers still don't get paid extra when they work on a public holiday. Before the debate about how many holidays there should be, it would be fair to establish who actually gets paid for them.

Bogdanović, a new party and a guest from Belgrade

Former Centar mayor Saša Bogdanović has founded the Serbian Democratic League, a party that invokes an organisation from 1908 and says it is open to everyone. The guest at its first congress was a vice-president of the SNS, Vučić's ruling party in Serbia. Backing from the ruling party in Belgrade is a fact the new party will have to keep explaining.

Snakes under the seat at Bogorodica

At the Bogorodica border crossing, under the seat of a car driven by a Kosovo citizen, customs officers found seven young snakes and a lizard, packed in boxes and wrapped in headscarves. Among them were pythons and a venomous snake, mostly protected species that require special permits to bring in. Proceedings have been opened against the driver. Who they were meant for is still unknown - and that is exactly the part of the story most worth finding out.

Skopje: smaller bins, promised flower kiosks

The city is replacing its 3,200-litre waste containers with 3,300 smaller ones of 1,100 litres, because the utility company had just one working truck out of four for the big ones. Mayor Gjorgjievski claims he paid half as much as for the previous ones - a figure that deserves a tender open to inspection. The city is also promising to rebuild the "Roza" flower kiosks after years of decay, with no word yet on what it will cost or when they will open.

The world: Russian diesel and Slovenia's referendums

Washington has opened the world market to Russian diesel - more than 4.8 million tonnes, with a US licence until April 2027 and not a single publicly confirmed Russian concession towards peace. Ukraine answered with drones over Rostov. Closer to home, Slovenia votes in four referendums today, and Macedonians without a Slovenian passport have already lost the right to vote in local elections.

Prilep, Bitola and Vardar

Prilep marked 85 years since the night sixteen partisans attacked the Bulgarian occupation police station and the prison, signalling the start of the uprising. In Bitola, at the first "Chkembe Fest" for the city's beloved tripe soup, the best bowl was cooked by the "Konzuli" motorcycle club, although the grand prix went to the "Korzo" restaurant. And in the handball Champions League, Vardar is still waiting for its first point, while the Dane Gidsel scored 17 goals and equalled Chuchi Martínez's record.

One thread runs through the heavier part of the day: Sofia, the Interior Ministry, the Finance Ministry and the government said less than they left open to question. For now the answers come in the form of announcements, extensions and internal reviews. The public has a right to deadlines, figures and names.