Gjorgi Spasov

The campaign for the October 15 local elections in Macedonia will feature a mixed bag of local topics and big national issues, observers say - adding that the result will serve as an important barometer of the popularity of new course of the country following the change of regime at a national level.

The parliamentary speaker and the ruling majority are being urged to take action to curb the stalling tactics of the opposition VMRO DPMNE party which have been blocking parliament's work for the past month and a half.

Diplomats and political analysts say that it is becoming increasingly certain that the US and European governments may soon resort to various sanctions against Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov and former Prime Minister and leader of the right-wing VMRO-DPMNE, Nikola Gruevski.

Ivanov and Gruevski are continuing to block the formation of an opposition-led government.