Aleksandar Cicakovski

Eight out of nine members of the State Electoral Commission tendered their resignations to parliament this week, mostly citing moral reasons, after a scandal over their bonus payments for October's local elections sparked public outrage.

Macedonia's general election result remains in deadlock after the latest results suggested that while the main ruling VMRO DPMNE party won more votes than the opposition Social Democrats, SDSM, it is not clear whether this will translate into more seats in parliament.

Following the decision of the ruling parties to push on with elections in April 24, and amid concern that the opposition may boycott the polls, three separate teams comprised of IT experts are to cross-check the data to determine who is alive and in the country and so eligible to vote.

Some members of Macedonian Electoral Commission, the DIK, are disputing their chief's assessment that the country cannot organize credible elections by April 24, the date for early polls that was initially set in the EU-brokered agreement to end the crisis but has now become the subject of dispute.

Macedonia's Prime Minister, Nikola Gruevski, and opposition Social Democrat, leader, Zoran Zaev, on Tuesday agreed on the names of the experts who will be appointed to serve on the electoral commission, DIK.