Washington, D.C., June 27, 2001—In view of continuing hostilities, the Peace Corps has decided to temporarily move all Volunteers from Macedonia to Bulgaria and to continue to monitor the situation. While some Volunteers feel fine in their sites, others are not comfortable with their situation. All are preparing to depart. The Peace Corps staff are also contacting Volunteer supervisors and counterparts to inform them of the departure.

All Volunteers will be encouraged to call or e-mail home once they arrive in Blagoevgrad. The move to Bulgaria is a precautionary step, until Peace Corps can determine whether it is safe to return to Macedonia or to temporarily suspend the program.

The current plan is to move all the Volunteers by land to Blagoevgrad in Bulgaria, where they will stay in a hotel with Peace Corps staff. Movement to Bulgaria will start Friday, June 29 and continue over the weekend.

As we progress through the relocation of the Volunteers, Peace Corps will update this site as needed. Interested parties and families are encouraged to consult the State Department’s Web site: http://usembassy.mpt.com.mk/