Macedonia's VMRO-DPMNE urges acting parliament speaker to schedule first session

16/07/2006

SKOPJE, Macedonia -- VMRO-DPMNE, which won the 5 July elections, is urging acting Parliament Speaker Slobodan Najdovski to schedule the date for the constituent session of the new legislature by 25 July. By law, the chairman of the previous assembly -- Najdovski in this case -- must set a date for the founding session of the next one within 20 days of the election. VMRO-DPMNE said on Friday (14 July) that it views any delay as an attempt by the ruling Social Democratic Alliance of Macedonia to put off the formation of the new government by VMRO-DPMNE.

Also Friday, the State Election Commission decided to repeat the vote in 29 election districts, after the Supreme Court ruled in favour of parties that had complained about irregularities there. The new ballot is planned for Wednesday. A total of four seats in parliament are involved. (Vecer - 15/07/06; Telma TV, A1 TV - 14/07/06)