Democratic Union for Integration

Teams led by the vice-presidents of the Social Democratic Union, SDSM, and the Democratic Union for integration, DUI, met on Monday in Skopje to resume talks on forming an opposition-led government in Macedonia.

After the talks with the SDSM, DUI vice-president Teuta Arifi briefly told media that they had been "constructive" and would continue.

An increase in official inspections in municipalities led by mayors from the Democratic Union for Integration, DUI has raised suspicions after the party on Sunday declined to support a renewed governing alliance with former Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski.

Macedonian legal experts and political observers say that constitutionally there is no dilemma that President Ivanov should now give the opposition Social Democrats, SDSM - who came second in the December 11 elections - the chance to try to form government.

The Democratic Union for Integration, DUI, which was the VMRO DPMNE's junior partner in the last coalition government, said on Sunday at midnight that it has not yet reached a decision on whether to join a new administration led by Gruevski.

The Democratic Union for Integration, DUI - the ethnic Albanian party with the most MPs in parlliament - has sent out conflicting signals about joining a new government coalition led by former Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, the leader of the VMRO DPMNE.

Ali Ahmeti, leader of Macedonia's main ethnic Albanian party, the Democratic Union for Integration, DUI, on Wednesday said the DUI will start negotiations with VMRO DPMNE since it had received a mandate to form the next government.

Representatives of Macedonia's ethnic Albanian parties on Saturday in Skopje signed a joint declaration that will serve as a platform for their furture participation in any government that is formed following the December 11 general election.

Macedonia's President Gjorge Ivanov has until Monday to offer a mandate for the formation of a new government to one of two would-be prime ministers, VMRO DPMNE leader Nikola Gruevski or opposition Social Democrat chief Zoran Zaev.

Representatives of three of the four main Macedonian Albanian parties met Albania's Prime Minister Edi Rama and Foreign Minister Ditmir Bushati in Tirana on Thursday.

Despite the victory of the opposition Social Democrats, SDSM, in the election re-run on Sunday in the village of Tearce in Macedonia, the number of seats that each bloc won in the December 11 elections remains the same. The ruling VMRO DPMNE party won 51 and the SDSM 49 in the 120-seat parliament.

The opposition won 245 votes in Tearce and the ruling party won just 150.