The parliament in North Macedonia approved the new government led by Zoran Zaev with 62 votes in favor and 51 against.
In his speech in parliament on Sunday, Zaev promised to improve the lives of all citizens, and asked for opposition’s cooperation for strategic national issues. He had earlier stated that the government will focus on fighting the coronavirus, crime and corruption, improving the economy, strengthening the justice system, and vetting officials.
Zaev’s Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM) and the Albanian party Democratic Union for Integration (BDI) reached an agreement to form the new Macedonian government following general elections on July 15. SDSM got 45 MPs, BDI got 15 MPs in the 120-seat parliament. The Democratic Party of Albanians also joined the coalition with their only MP.
The BDI will appoint a prime minister for the last 100 days of the 4-year term. It is stipulated in the constitution that a caretaker government during this period prepares the country for new elections.
Talat Xhaferi of the BDI was reelected speaker of parliament earlier.
The Macedonian opposition comprises VMRO-DPMNE (44 seats), Alliance for Albanians (12), and Levica (2).
The new government is composed of the prime minister, 4 deputies, and 13 ministers:
Prime Minister – Zoran Zaev
First Deputy Prime Minister – Artan Grubi
Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs – Nikola Dimitrov
Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs – Fatmir Bytyqi
Deputy Prime Minister for Fight against Corruption – Ljupco Nikolovski
Minister of Internal Affairs – Oliver Spasovki
Minister of Defense – Radmila Sekerinska
Minister of Finance – Fatmir Besimi
Minister of Economy – Kreshnik Bekteshi
Minister of Transport and Communications – Blagoj Bochvarski
Minister of Affairs of Foreign Affairs – Bujar Osmani
Minister of Justice – Bojan Maricic
Minister of Environment and Spatial Planning – Naser Nuredini
Minister of Education and Science – Mila Carovska
Minister of Labor and Social Policy – Jagoda Shahparska
Minister of Agriculture – Arijan Hoxha
Minister of Culture – Irena Stef
Minister of Local Self-Government – Goran Milevski
