Macedonian general election

Macedonia's new government was elected Wednesday night with the support of 62 MPs in the 120-seat parliament. Its establishment is expected to put an end to the prolonged political crisis in the country. The previous government, led by the right-wing VMRO-DPMNE party stood accused of allegations of wiretapping and corruption.
 

SDSM leader Zoran Zaev (left) meets with President Gjorge Ivanov on February 27. - Photo: MIA

Macedonian (FYROM) President Gjorge Ivanov has given the mandate to form a government to the leader of the SDSM party Zoran Zaev.

After several months of refusing to do so, Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov on Wednesday finally awarded the mandate for forming a government to the Social Democrat leader, Zoran Zaev, removing all remaining obstacles for a peaceful transfer of power.

Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov has given the mandate to form a government to the leader of the SDSM party Zoran Zaev.

In a brief address earlier in the day in the presidential residence, Ivanov and Zaev emphasized that all obstacles for giving the mandate to the leader of the parliamentary majority had been removed.

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.

The new speaker of Macedonia's parliament, Talat Xhaferi, on Thursday confirmed that he has sent a letter to President Gjorge Ivanov informing him that the Social Democrats command a majority in parliament - and so expect to be offered a mandate to form a government. The presidential cabinet has not yet confirmed receiving the notice.

Zoran Zaev's SDSM party has announced that Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov will receive a letter from the newly elected parliament speaker Talat Xhaferi.

The letter contains the demand to give Zaev the mandate to form a government.

High-ranking US State Department official Hoyt Yee is expected during his visit to press for an end to the political stalemate in Macedonia and to the institutional blockade that has prevented the election of a new opposition-led government since the December elections.

Macedonia's opposition Social Democrats said Sunday they would push ahead in forming a government with ethnic Albanian partners, following an eruption of violence when protesters who oppose them stormed parliament, AFP reported.

After Macedonia's parliament canceled Friday's session due to damage caused by rioters, heavily equipped riot police were deployed in front of the building in anticipation of more protests on Friday afternoon.