Macedonia Govt Survives No-Confidence Vote

The no-confidence vote failed after 62 legislators in the 120-seat parliament voted against the motion filed by the main opposition right-wing VMRO DPMNE party, while 40 voted in favour.

The voting took place at midnight on Wednesday.

The ruling majority led by the Social Democrats defended the policies of the government which came to power in May last year after a prolonged crisis that centred on allegations of widespread misdeeds by the previous administration led by the VMRO DPMNE.

Majority lawmakers argued that it was hypocritical to criticise the current cabinet for economic decline, political party control over national institutions and assets, and for betraying Macedonia's national interests, because the VMRO DPMNE, which was in power for almost 11 years, was ousted for exactly the same reasons.

The no-confidence vote marked the return of the opposition MPs to parliament after a four-month boycott.

The VMRO DPMNE stopped attending parliament in November after police arrested six of its MPs who were suspected of playing roles in the April 2017 mob attack on the legislature.

Five MPs are now among 30 people facing terrorism charges for what the prosecution claims was an organised attempt to destabilise the country.

The opposition returned to parliament just in time, as parliament has only about ten days to pass several key EU-sought reforms that need opposition MPs' votes.

Macedonia hopes the European Commission will restore its frozen invitation to start EU accession talks after its latest progress report is published on April 17.

Before then, however, parliament needs to pass a set of prepared bills, mostly on EU-sought reforms in the judiciary, and which need a two-thirds majority...