- SKOPJE, Macedonia: Macedonians are marking a national day of mourning for Kiro Gligorov, their first democratically elected president, who died on the first day of the year at the age of 94.
Gligorov shepherded the tiny Balkan nation through a bloodless secession from the former Yugoslavia. He is to be buried Tuesday in his family’s grave in the Alley of the Great in the capital Skopje’s Butel cemetery. He had expressed the wish to have a private funeral.
Macedonian flags flew at half-staff, sporting events were canceled and public radio suspended normal programming and was playing only classical music to mark the day of mourning.