Democratic Union for Integration

Ali Ahmeti, the head of the junior party in Macedonia's ruling coalition, the Democratic Union for Integration, DUI, demanded on Tuesday a transparent retrial and a public presentation of the evidence that led to the conviction of six ethnic Albanians for terrorism - a verdict that sparked unrest on the streets of the capital last week.

The DPA’s central presidency said this weekend that it would not become part of the new government led by Nikola Gruevski that is to be officially elected in parliament on Thursday.

The party said it did not believe that Gruevski and his allies, who led the last government, could make a breakthrough on the country's priority issues.

Gruevski’s most trusted ministers will retain their posts, judging by the list of candidate-ministers that the Macedonian premier officially submitted to parliament on Sunday together with his platform for government.

The inaugural session in parliament on Monday was held in a half-empty hall, with almost the entire opposition and the junior ruling Albanian party, the Democratic Union for Integration, DUI, refusing to attend.

Newly elected opposition legislators did not appear on Wednesday at the State Electoral Commission, SEC, to receive their certificates to sit in the 123-member parliament.

The first round of inter-party talks aimed at forming the new government led by Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski were held at the weekend but were shrouded in secrecy, with both sides remaining silent about what was discussed.

Transparency International – Macedonia said it was filing criminal charges against the ruling VMRO DPMNE party and its junior government partner, the Democratic Union for Integration, DUI.

Macedonia's Social Democratic Party, SDSM, is to take a decision on Tuesday on what to do next following its defeat in Sunday's elections.

One option up for consideration is for the party to refuse to take up its seats in parliament.

Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov is set to win a second term, while his ruling VMRO-DPMNE is likely to stay in power after Sunday's 2-in-1 elections.

Ivanov has won 505.687 votes, and the ballots cast for his main rival socialist Stevo Pendarovski has been 372.886 after the counting of results in 95% of polling stations.

Polling stations will be open in Macedonia until 7pm Sunday.

This is the eighth general election since Macedonia became independent in the 1990s and the third early parliamentary election in a row. It is also the fifth presidential election since independence.