The recently elected Speaker of the Macedonian Parliament Telat Xhaferi has sent a second letter to President Gjorgje Ivanov asking him to give SDSM leader Zoran Zaev a mandate to form a majority government consisting of his social-democratic party and the Albanian minority parties within ten days.
Although the office of President Ivanov has confirmed receiving both letters, he has refused to give any answer, insisting that the “Tirana platform” is wholly rejected by Zaev and his Albanian coalition partners.
Speaker Xhaferi stated in a press conference:
Of course I would prefer the alternative that Ivanov gives the mandate, as dictated by the fundamental document of the country.
The other possibility, not giving the mandate, constitutes a violation of art. 1 para. 90 of the Constitution of Macedonia.
If the Prime Minister deposits a draft program and a draft proposal for a new government on the 11th day, I will be obliged to plan a parliamentary session within two weeks from that moment.
Any additional pressure point in the ongoing Macedonian political crisis is the fact that today the mandates of all mayors and municipal councils have ended, bringing local government and public services to a standstill.
