Macedonia's president calls for respect to citizens' will after elections

Macedonia affirmed its capacity to organize fair, free, peaceful and democratic elections where all the citizens here had the right to make their choice, Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov said in a press statement on Tuesday.

"I expect that all who competed in the elections will welcome and acknowledge citizens' will," he said.

Macedonia's ruling party VMRO-DPMNE defeated its main rival SDSM with a slim lead in early elections on Sunday.

The head of state congratulated the election winners, all parties involved in the election process, and especially the citizens who came out in large numbers to cast their ballots.

The elections had been deemed as an opportunity for Macedonia to push forward its European Union (EU) integration bid, but also as a solution to end the extended political deadlock in the country. The elections were overseen by 4,700 domestic and foreign observers.

The elections would help end the political crisis and would mark the beginning of national reconciliation in Macedonia, Ivanov told media.

On the other hand, he stressed there shouldn't be any disrespect for the will of the citizens or creating the conditions for new crises.

Relevant domestic and international institutions confirmed that Macedonia conducted elections that befit European and democratic states, the president highlighted in his statement.

Further on, Ivanov said that he would award the mandate to form the next government to the party that had a majority in parliament, and asked that the next government be formed quickly.

On the other hand, he stated that with these elections, Macedonia had accomplished one of the key conditions to which the Przino Agreement signatories committed themselves.

In the end, he called on the EU to find a way to allow Macedonia to advance on its path toward European integration. Endit