SDSM party

North Macedonia's Socialist SDSM party elected Venko Filipce as its new leader on Sunday.

Some 9,052 party members voted for Filipce, who will become the new opposition leader. He currently sits as an MP.

Recent developments in North Macedonia suggest a further decline in relations with Bulgaria, with the presidential elections serving as a litmus test for the sentiment towards Bulgaria within the country.

The Prime Minister of the Republic of North Macedonia, Zoran Zaev, resigned last night after the poor performance of his SDSM party in the second round of local elections, world agencies reported.

The Parliament of Northern Macedonia passed the law on the state prosecutor's office and dissolved itself - less than two months until the next elections.

FYROM's (Macedonia) ruling Social Democrats (SDSM) have won a sweeping victory in the first round of local elections and delivered a severe blow to the conservative VMRO-DPMNE party that ruled much of the country for more than a decade.

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic says the statements of Zoran Zaev are undermining relations between the two countries.

Zaev, the leader of the SDSM party, earlier on Wednesday became FYROM's (Macedonia) PM-designate.

"The insults that Zaev is making toward the Serbian leadership will certainly impact our bilateral relations," Dacic said in a statement.

SDSM leader Zoran Zaev (left) meets with President Gjorge Ivanov on February 27. - Photo: MIA

Macedonian (FYROM) President Gjorge Ivanov has given the mandate to form a government to the leader of the SDSM party Zoran Zaev.

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic says the statements of Zoran Zaev are undermining relations between the two countries.

Zaev, the leader of the SDSM party, earlier on Wednesday became Macedonia's PM-designate.

Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov has given the mandate to form a government to the leader of the SDSM party Zoran Zaev.

In a brief address earlier in the day in the presidential residence, Ivanov and Zaev emphasized that all obstacles for giving the mandate to the leader of the parliamentary majority had been removed.

Zoran Zaev - Photo: AP

Macedonian (FYROM) SDSM party leader and pretender to the premiership Zoran Zaev believes that Macedonia will become "the 30-member of NATO."