VMRO DPMNE party

The main opposition party in North Macedonia has used publication of video footage that may further implicate the embattled head of the Special Prosecution, Katica Janeva, to demand early elections.

Katica Janeva, head of the Special Prosecution in North Macedonia, SJO, the body that has spearheaded the fight against high-level crime in the country, submitted her irrevocable resignation on Monday.

Zoran Zaev said on Tuesday that he sees no reason for resignation as a lengthy telephone conversation published last night on YouTube by the Russian pranksters reveals no state secrets, sensitive information or harms national interests in any other way.

Parliament in North Macedonia approved a reshuffle of five ministers on Thursday night, which came after the ruling coalition, headed by Zoran Zaev's Social Democrats, received a wake-up call in recent presidential elections. In the vote, 65 of 120 MPs backed the reshuffle with 25 opposition MPs voting against.

A court in Hungary has rejected a demand from North Macedonia for former prime minister Nikola Gruevski to be extradited to start serving his two-year prison sentence for illegally soliciting the secret purchase of a 580,000-euro Mercedes in 2012.

The first-ever gay Pride Parade in North Macedonia will be held in Skopje on June 29, the country's National Network Against Homophobia and Transphobia, gathering human rights NGOs, told a press conference on Monday.

"The gay parade will be a form of protest for affirmation, support and protection of human rights of the LGBTQ people," said activist Antonio Mihajlov.

Preliminary results from Sunday's second round of presidential elections in North Macedonia suggested that Stevo Pendarovski, the candidate supported by the country's ruling parties, has won the election, after taking a firm lead against his rival, Gordana Siljanovska, who was backed by the main opposition VMRO DPMNE party.

Polling stations opened on Sunday in the presidential election run-off in North Macedonia, amid fears that if the turnout is as low as it was in the first round, two weeks ago, the election process is in danger.

A total of 3,480 polling stations opened at 7am for an election in which some 1.8 million people have the right to vote.

Ruling alliance candidate Stevo Pendarovski [right] with Prime Minister Zoran Zaev [left]. Photo: EPA/EFE GEORGI LICOVSKI

People casting ballots in North Macedonia. Photo: EPA/EFE GEORGI LICOVSKI