Decade-long foreign military presence in Macedonia ended 15 December as EU operation Concordia was officially replaced by a police support mission, Proxima. Six-week voluntary disarmament program also finished 15 December, yielding about 8,000 illegal weapons. Estimates of number of illegal weapons in the country range from 100– 170,000, but compared with similar initiatives in the region, the campaign was a success.

Prime Minister Crvenkovski sacked four cabinet ministers for incompetence 1 November, approved by Parliament 5 November. Voluntary disarmament program commenced 1 November. EU military monitoring mission “Concordia” scheduled to wind up 15 December by which time 200-strong EU police mission “Proxima” will be largely deployed. President Boris Trajkovski announced Skopje's plans to apply for EU membership by February 2004 at Berlin conference 15 November.

Ethnic tensions persist. Voluntary disarmament program to commence 1 November. All political parties except Party for Democratic Prosperity have expressed support for program, but Democratic Party of Albanians mayors will not take part in training for scheme. EU military monitoring mission “Concordia” scheduled to wind up 15 Dec. 2003 by which time 200-strong EU police mission “Proxima” will be largely deployed.

At least two gunmen killed in clash with Macedonian security forces near Kosovo border (Brest). Shadowy Albanian National Army claimed responsibility. Police vowed to hunt down ethnic Albanian militants. The incident appears to have destabilised – temporarily – Macedonia’s ruling coalition. EU agreed to deploy 200-strong police force in Macedonia by 15 December.

Increase in violent incidents as ethnic tensions persist. Albanian National Army fired 2 rocket-propelled grenades on 25 August at guard tower on Kosovo-Macedonia border; grenade attacks by unknown assailants on Skopje government buildings and bomb explosion on railway tracks north of Skopje on 28 August. No one injured. 2 police officers briefly kidnapped by ethnic Albanian gunmen on 27 August. Mandate of EU peacekeeping mission extended until 15 December 2003; EU police mission to strengthen rule of law under consideration.