Zaev Calls Serbian PM's Rhetoric on Macedonia 'Uncomfortable'

Macedonia's Prime Minister-designate Zoran Zaev - who received a mandate to form a government on Wednesday - accused Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic of running a hostile "campaign", when talking about an alleged "Macedonian scenario" that would then create instability in Serbia as well.

However, the Social Democrat leader says he will work to improve the two countries' damaged relations.

"It was uncomfortable listening to how our neighbour speaks of Macedonia. Macedonia fought to hold regular elections, form a parliamentary majority, and it deserves for things to proceed normally, as in all democratic countries," Zaev told regional N1 television.

Asked about his own earlier statement, in which he called Vucic's leadership nationalistic, Zaev reaffirmed his readiness to work with Serbia's Prime Minister - soon to become Serbia's President.

He said that relations with Serbia had reached a low point but now needed to improve in the interests of all their citizens.

Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov gave Zaev the mandate to form a new government on Wednesday just two days before Friday's ten-day deadline was due to expire.

Macedonia held parliamentary elections on December 11, after which Zaev's Social Democratic Party, SDSM, put together a new majority in parliament with the aid of ethnic Albanian parties.

Although the new coalition included 67 of the 120 MPs in parliament, President Ivanov had blocked the formation of a new government since March, claiming Zaev had conceded too much to the Albanians.

Tensions rose further when supporters of the outgoing VMRO-DPMNE party stormed the parliament in Skopje, injuring some 100 people, including MPs and journalists.