Macedonia approves caretaker government ahead of early vote

SKOPJE, Macedonia – Macedonian lawmakers have formally approved a caretaker government that will lead the country into early national elections Dec. 11, in a new bid to end a 20-month political crisis.

Emil Dimitriev, from the ruling conservative VMRO-DPMNE party, will serve as caretaker prime minister for the second time this year. Previously agreed election dates this year, on April 24 and June 5, were cancelled.

Parliament agreed Friday that opposition politicians will hold the interior and labour portfolios.

Macedonia has been in political turmoil since February 2015, following a massive wiretapping scandal in which the conversations of more than 20,000 people were monitored. The country’s two main parties traded blame for the wiretaps.

The heads of the country’s four biggest parties had agreed on December elections on Wednesday.

News from © The Associated Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Join the Conversation!

Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community?

Create a free account

The Associated Press

The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world’s population sees AP journalism every day.

Related Articles