Elections in the Republic of Macedonia

Despite their common goal of toppling the long-standing Prime Minister, Nikola Gruevski, opposition parties from the ethnic Macedonian and Albanian blocs appear unlikely to form a joint front in the coming general election, political observers say.

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.

After Macedonia's ruling parties on Monday unilaterally elected a new interim government in parliament, paving the way for early elections in April 24, the leader of the opposition Social Democrats, SDSM, Zoran Zaev on Tuesday said his party was yet to decide on its response.

Lawmakers from the ruling parties on Monday gave the thumbs up on an interim Macedonian government, local media report.

The caretaker cabinet, which is to help the country prepare for early elections on April 24, was approved by lawmakers from the main ruling VMRO-DPMNE and its coalition partner in the previous government, the ethnic Albanian Democratic Union for Integration (DUI).

The ruling majority in parliament on Monday verified the resignation of Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, voted to dissolve parliament and elected a new government, paving the way for elections on April 24.

An important progress towards solving the political crisis in Macedonia was made on Monday as resigned Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski confirmed that early parliamentary elections will be held on April 24 as had been agreed in the summer of last year.

The head of Macedonia's opposition SDSM party vowed that the socialists will not take part in the early general election on April 24 if they are on scheduled.

A ruling VMRO DPMNE party official told BIRN on Monday that the party is still undecided between several candidates to take up the prime ministerial post after its leader and incumbent premier Gruevski resigns by January 15, as previously agreed.

Macedonia's four main political parties on Friday reached consensus on power sharing in the period until the snap elections now confirmed for April 24 of next year.

Working groups of the main Macedonian parties failed to reach an agreement on resolving the country's political crisis.

According to media reports, parties continue to disagree over the competencies of the new ministries and the deputy-ministers nominated by the opposition, MIA news agency informs.