Zaev Wins Mandate to Form Macedonia's Next Govt

After several months of refusing to do so, Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov on Wednesday finally awarded the mandate for forming a government to the Social Democrat leader, Zoran Zaev, removing all remaining obstacles for a peaceful transfer of power.

Ivanov, who came under international pressure after withholding the offer of a mandate to Zaev since March, said at a short ceremony in his office: "The obstacles for awarding the mandate for a new Macedonian government have been removed."

Zaev reiterated the guarantees he had previously given to the President that he would ensure the preservation of the unitary character and territorial integrity of Macedonia.

In the name of the new majority in parliament, "We guarantee protection of unity,  sovereignty and territorial integrity [of Macedonia]," Zaev said.

The prolonged political power struggle had left Macedonia without new government since the December 11 early general election.

President Ivanov has been withholding the mandate for new government to Zaev since early March, despite Zaev having by then mustered a majority in parliament with the support of the main ethnic Albanian parties.

Like the former ruling VMRO DPMNE party, Ivanov insisted that should Zaev come to power, he would endanger the country's sovereignty due to his acceptance of various demands set by the ethnic Albanian parties.

These focused on greater language and economic rights for the Albanian community who make up about a quarter of the country's population.

Zaev insisted this was just an excuse - and that VMRO DPMNE, which has led the government since 2006, was only clinging to power to avoid criminal investigations.

The election of an ethnic Albanian, Talat...