VMRO DPMNE party

TV Presidential Debate Fails to Switch on Macedonia

One week before the first round of Macedonian presidential elections, all four presidential candidate took part in an unexpected debate hosted by state television.

The hour-and-a-half debate on issues ranging from Macedonia disputed name to the economy failed to catch fire, however, and was dogged by long monologues that were deemed monotonous by many viewers and observers.

Macedonia PM Says Opposition 'Sound Greek'

As election races hot up in Macedonia, the ruling VMRO DPMNE party has accused the opposition of holding standpoints on the sensitive issue of the country's name issue that betray national interests.

The opposition has meanwhile accused the ruling parties of taking too hard a line on the name issue, and of excluding them from any discussion about it.

Macedonian President ‘Started Election Campaign Early’

The DIK has ruled that Ivanov broke the electoral code when he published a report on his presidential work on March 14, ten days before the start of the presidential election campaign on March 24.

Apart from starting his campaign too early, the head of the DIK, Nikola Rilkoski, said Ivanov had misused his office by using state money to finance publication of his report.

Macedonia Albanians Seek New Presidential Election Model

Macedonia's main ethnic Albanian party, the Democratic Union for Integration, DUI, has launched a campaign for a new presidential election model in Macedonia.

The campaign slogan, “No to a One-sided President”, advocates scrapping direct elections for the post of President - and the main Albanian and Macedonian parties in parliament agreeing on a consensus candidate.

Presidential Election Campaign Starts in Macedonia

The candidate of the main ruling VMRO DPMNE party, incumbent President Gjorge Ivanov, launches his campaign with a rally in the town of Ohrid, the party’s traditional election launch venue.

Ivanov, who is competing for a secound five-year term in office, is running under the election slogan “The State Above All”, positioning himself as a proven defender of the country's interests.

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