Roundup: Macedonian president refuses to mandate new PM-designate

Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov on Wednesday refused to mandate the social democratic party (SDSM) leader Zoran Zaev as the new prime minister designate.

Two days ago, Zaev handed over to Ivanov 67 signatures of MPs, thus meeting the condition set by Ivanov under which he would mandate the party securing the majority of parliamentary mandates.

But the president decided not to accept Zaev's request, thus further escalating the political crisis in the country.

"The acceptance of the wider use of Albanian language as an externally imposed platform would be a criminal act and the constitution and my own conscience do not allow me to give the mandate to Zaev," Ivanov said.

He said he would address public opinion on his decision to refuse a Zaev-led government while noting any wrong decision could have consequences for the state.

Ethnic Albanian parties in Macedonia signed weeks ago a joint platform in Albania's capital, Tirana, in which they put the wider use of Albanian language in Macedonia as a key condition.

After Ivanov's statement, Zaev said the president had deepened the political crisis by deciding to ignore the 67 signatures of lawmakers. He asked Ivanov to withdraw his decision and mandate him to form the new government.

A day earlier, former prime minister Nikola Gruevski warned of destabilization if the proposal on Albanian language usage all over the territory of Macedonia was approved.

In the last two days, many citizens have marched in Skopje's streets, opposing the proposal making Albanian language as the second official language here. Enditem