VMRO DPMNE

The ruling VMRO DPMNE of former prime minister Nikola Gruevski has denied accusations it is practically suspending political pluralism in Macedonia by insisting on competing in June 5 elections alone.

Macedonia's ruling parties have gained the approval they need to enact changes to the constitution after 82 of the 123 MPs approved the changes, which is more than the two-thirds majority needed.

Six legislators from the opposition Democratic Party of Albanians, DPA, voted against while one legislator abstained.

The Association of Macedonian Architects, AAM, is to submit an initiative for a referendum to the municipality of Centar in Skopje after the authorities announced a start to construction in September.

Preliminary results from Sunday’s presidential election in Macedonia suggest that Ivanov, who is running for a second five-year term for the ruling VMRO DPMNE party, is leading the count, ahead of his main rival, Stevo Pendarovski who is running for the opposition Social Democrats.

The State Electoral Commission, said that 95 per cent of the votes have been counted so  far.