Zaev Accuses Gruevski of Holding Macedonia 'Hostage'

Social Democrat leader Zoran Zaev has accused the leadership of the nationalist VMRO DPMNE party - led by Nikola Gruevski - of fomenting tension in Macedonia to prevent a peaceful transfer of power and save themselves from criminal prosecution.

"This is being done solely to protect their crimes," Zaev told the TV show "Otvoreno" ["Open"] on Thursday night.

Zaev said he still hoped President Gjorge Ivanov will retract his veto on the formation of a Social Democrat-led government - but, if not, the opposition is already working on "plans B, C and D" to exit the current stalemate.

"If Gruevski thinks he can hold Macedonia hostage, he is wrong ... We know all his plans. We have the backing of 67 [of parliament's 120] MPs and of 700,000 citizens who know everything," Zaev said, urging supporters to remain calm.

Zaev added that one option is for the new parliamentary majority to ignore Ivanov's veto and elect a new government on its own, which he said would be legal.

He dismissed the allegations - coming from the President Ivanov and from VMRO DPMNE - that his coalition deal with ethnic Albanian parties endangers Macedonia's sovereignty as "utter lies" and "nonsense".

However, VMRO DPMNE supporters have announced another protest march against a Social Democrat-led government for Friday in Skopje, which they said would be the biggest thus far.

Another journalist attacked

NOVA TV editor Borjan Jovanovski was the last victim of a series of attacks and threats on critically inclined reporters that happened in the past week.

While sitting in a restaurant in central Skopje on Thursday night, Jovanovski was approached by a minor who first shouted "traitor" to him and...