On Saturday 25 February, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn called on President of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) Gjorge Ivanov to give the mandate to form the next government to the leader of the SDSM party, Zoran Zaev.
After an initial failed attempt at forming a new government with VMRO-DPMNE party leader Nikola Gruevski, the president decided to give the mandate to the party that obtained at least 61 signatures from members of parliament. The SDSM party obtained the necessary signatures. The parliamentary elections were held on 11 December and the deadline for forming a new government was set for midnight on 29 January.
In a press release, Hahn called on all the actors concerned, including the president and the parliament, to come fully into line with the constitution and to act responsibly so as to enable the formation of a government which will address overdue reforms. "Accepting and respecting the election result, and the right of leaders to try to form a government, is a sign of a mature democracy. Obstructing and undermining such efforts has no place in a democratic process", Hahn stated. He added that the EU expected all parties "to respect democratic principles and standards and engage constructively and aim to find ground for working together and co-operating rather than looking for opportunities to undermine each other". "Such approaches of the past threw the country into crisis. They must be avoided by all, whether in government and opposition", Hahn stated.
Elsewhere, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini is due to visit Skopje this week. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)