VMRO-DPMNE

The approval rating of the leader of the Macedonian party VMRO-DPMNE - Nikola Gruevski - is almost double that of Zoran Zaev, chairman of the SDSM (Macedonian Social Democratic Party).

The campaign for the upcoming snap parliamentary elections in Madedonia on December 11 has oficially begun on Monday, reported BGNES.

These will be the ninth parliamentary elections since the country declared independence in 1991. A total of 11 parties and coalitions will take part in the elections.

Macedonia's Parliament has dissolved itself, paving the way for the early parliamentary vote at the end of this year.

Upon calls by the country's biggest party, VMRO-DPMNE, the legislature adopted the 2017 budget before closing its last session, local media report.

The fiscal plan was approved unanimously by 110 lawmakers.

BELGRADE - Thousands of Macedonians took to the streets to participate in a peaceful antigovernment protest, RFE/RL reports.

The demonstration in the capital, Skopje, on October 11 was organized by the main opposition party, the Social Democrats.

Flags bearing the 16-beam Vergina Sun and maps of the so-called “Great Macedonia” were held by governing party VMRO-DPMNE supports in Skopje, during an anti-rally held and attended by PM Nikola Gruevski. The Skopje hands of the attending crowd pointed to the Skopjan “dream”. Three fingers for Vardaris, the Aegean Sea, and Pirin, and the “O” from the word “Obedineta” which means United.

The Macedonian governing party VMRO-DPMNE is set on organizing a counter-protest at 8 pm in front of the Parliament building. The organizers claim that Macedonia is currently facing '' a directed attack aiming at destabilization'' of the country.

A photoreporter and a police officer have been injured in Wednesday's protests in Macedonian capital Skopje as demonstrators gathered for a second night to demand that the government stepped down.

Wednesday's gathering in front of the Macedonian Parliament was more peaceful that the previous one, which on Tuesday evening left dozens wounded.

OSCE media rep calls on Skopje to investigate threats

VIENNA -- Dunja Mijatovic has called on Macedonia's authorities to immediately investigate the death threat against the NOVA TV editor Borjan Jovanovski and his family.

Macedonians are going to the polls on Sunday in the fifth presidential elections for the country.