Besa

Bilall Kasami, leader of ethnic Albanian party Besa (Pledge of Honour), told BIRN in an interview the day after he was confirmed as the mayor of Tetovo that North Macedonia should avoid new snap elections after his coalition government partner Social Democratic Prime Minister Zoran Zaev resigned following his party's poor performance in the weekend's municipal polls.

The heads of North Macedonia's main political parties met at the presidential palace in Skopje on Tuesday and agreed to postpone the early elections, which were originally slated for April 12.

The modalities for the postponement and a new election date have yet to be determined, however.

An opinion poll published on Monday by the International Republican Institute, IRI, a US-based democracy development organisation, suggested that North Macedonia's main ruling Social Democrats enjoy a very slight popularity advantage over their bitter rivals, the right-wing opposition VMRO DPNNE party.

People casting ballots in North Macedonia. Photo: EPA/EFE GEORGI LICOVSKI

The government of Prime Minister Zoran Zaev has secured the parliamentary majority required to finalize the four constitutional amendments that will change the name of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to North Macedonia, a ruling party spokesman cited by MIA news agency reported on Friday.

Two small ethnic Albanian opposition parties in Macedonia, the BESA movement and the Alliance for Albanians, insist that the changing of the constitution to implement the 'name' agreement with Greece is a good opportunity for additional changes that would improve the status of Albanians in the country.

The reshuffle proposed by Prime Minister Zoran Zaev on Tuesday is the first since the election of his government last year, and will see two small ethnic Albanian parties join the ruling coalition, boosting its support in the assembly.

The Democratic Party of Albanians, DPA, which controls two MPs in parliament, will get one ministerial post and one deputy minister.

A growing rift inside the BESA party in Macedonia has resulted this week in two rival party congresses being set for February 24 - with each side insisting it has the right to lead the party.

Macedonia's SDSM, led by Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, confirmed its widespread support, winning 18 of the 35 municipalities in which voting took place Sunday. The first round already suggested widespread support on October 15 (SDSM won 39), which together with Sunday's vote means that in total the party now controls at least 57 out of Macedonia's 81 municipalities.

The second round of voting on Sunday won't change the big picture from the first round, at which the main ruling Social Democrats, SDSM, won a big victory over their bitter opponents from the opposition right-wing VMRO DPMNE party - but the contest in the ethnic Albanian bloc is expected to be a lot more exciting.