The Kiro Kucuk brickworks in Macedonia has been hit hard by the Kosovo crisis RELATED VIDEO The war next door is taking a heavy toll on Macedonia, as CNN's Richard Blystone reports (April 26) Windows Media 28K 80K

April 26, 1999
Web posted at: 7:23 p.m. EDT (2323 GMT)

SKOPJE, Macedonia (CNN) -- As thousands more refugees streamed into Macedonia from Kosovo, Macedonia's economy minister abruptly resigned Monday, blaming the international community for failing to provide long-promised aid.

"I cannot continue to function as minister of Economy and hope to have any results, blocked mostly by the lack of understanding of the international community, which has so far promised everything and fulfilled nothing," Zanko Cado said.

Cado, who took office in December, said his country was buckling under the strain of accommodating more than 135,000 refugees who have fled the Serbian province of Kosovo and that NATO's airstrikes have closed the doors of commerce to Yugoslavia, Macedonia's biggest trading partner. More than 40,000 jobs have been lost, he said.

"We have lost the market in Yugoslavia, we have lost many of the suppliers from Yugoslavia, and most of the companies have either stopped their production or they are working with 10 to 20 percent of their production capacities," Cado said.

Resigning Economy Minister Cado says his country is buckling under the strain of accommodating 135,000 refugees

Much-needed international investment has been slow to appear because many investors fear Macedonia is too close to the conflict.

"We've got to show Macedonia that we will be there for them, because even after this war ends, they're still going to have a lot of economic problems," said U.S. Ambassador to Macedonia, Chris Hill.

And if the refugees remain in Macedonia for an extended time, analysts say the country's stability could be seriously threatened.

"If this situation continues through the summer ... September, October ... a very dangerous situation," said Jovan Donev of the Soros Institute.

Correspondent Richard Blystone contributed to this report.