Elections in the Republic of Macedonia

As the formation of a new government in Macedonia under the Social Democrats, SDSM, looms ever closer,  supporters of the once unassailable VMRO DPMNE party - which governed the country for 11 years - say they feel betrayed by their own leadership.

Legal experts suspect that the charges raised against nine alleged participants in the April 27 violence in parliament are too mild and may be part of a plan to prevent them from ever standing trial for much more serious offences.

The prosecution charged the nine suspects with "participation in a violent crowd that prevented police officials from performing [their] duty".

Scores of people were injured as violence erupted in Macedonia's parliament after nationalist protesters stormed the building in anger over a vote for a new speaker, the interior ministry said April 28.

Police moved in to restore order late Thursday after protesters supporting the former ruling VMRO DPMNE party stormed parliament, injuring at least four MPs.

The protesters forced their way in to the legislature after the former opposition led by the Social Democrats, SDSM, elected a parliamentary speaker in a bid to form a government.

Violence erupted inside Macedonia's parliament on Thursday as protesters supporting the former ruling VMRO DPMNE party stormed the building, angry over the election of new parliament speaker Talat Xhaferi by the former opposition.

During his stay in Macedonia, Yee will meet political leaders to discuss the formation of a new government, bilateral ties and reforms needed for Macedonia's Euro-Atlantic integration, the US embassy in Skopje said.

Oliver Andonov, the new manager of the remote Jasen military complex, a site which includes a derelict former Yugoslav army bunker, denied media allegations that the authorities were preparing the site to use after declaring martial law to prevent the opposition forming a government.

Supporters of the right-wing VMRO-DPMNE party which faces losing power after 11 years at the helm, took to the streets bearing cardboard shields, painted in the national colours, red and yellow, to display dislike for the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM)-led coalition government.

Experts say the possible resignation of ethnic Albanian ministers from Macedonia's provisional government would increase the "pressure" for the formation of a new government but would not necessarily resolve the current crisis.

Observers say the VMRO DPMNE's stalling tactics, which involve the party's MPs making long speeches and holding discussions amongst themselves in order to prevent a vote on a new parliamentary speaker for as long as possible, are set to continue on Wednesday - and could drag out the process for weeks or possibly months.