Talat Xhaferi

Macedonia's main opposition VMRO DPMNE party is in a dilemma over whether to tap into the 1.3 million euros that parliament has set aside for campaigning for the September 30 "name" referendum. It has until the end of Monday to officially make up its mind.

A formal call for a referendum in Macedonia, backed by the MPs from the ruling majority, but also possibly by some opposition MPs, is to be formally handed on Monday to the speaker of parliament, Talat Xhaferi, who is expected to put it to vote at a plenary session.

Macedonia this week is starting the technical screening process to assess its readiness for EU accession talks, which, according to plan, could start in June next year.

On his arrival on Skopje on Tuesday, Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn will meet Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, Parliament Speaker Talat Xhaferi and the main opposition VMRO DPMNE party leader Hristijan Mickovski.

The Skopje Criminal Court on Thursday handed heavy jail sentences to seven men for a premeditated murder attempt on Ziadin Zela, an MP and leader of the small opposition Alliance for Albanians.

The speaker of Macedonian parliament, Talat Xhaferi, has told BIRN's TV show Jeta ne Kosove'that if President Gjorge Ivanov again refuses to sign the new language law, after parliament voted for it for a second time, he will breach his constitutional rights.

Macedonian lawmakers approved a bill by which Albanian became the second official language in the country, Channel 5 announced. The vote was held today in the Macedonian Parliament. 64 MPs supported the bill.

This happened without a debate on amendments, with 64 votes in favor, and none against or abstained.

This legal act introduces the Albanian language as the second official language in the country.

Assembly Speaker Talat Xhaferi, from the Albanian DUI party, thus carried out his plan and rejected a debate on amendments.

President Rumen Radev met with Macedonian counterpart Gjorge Ivanov.

This is the first state visit since the entry into force of the Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighborhood and Cooperation between the two countries.

The official welcoming ceremony took place at Villa ,,Vodno'' Residence.

FYROM (Macedonian) Assembly President Talat Xhaferi expects the opposition VMRO-DPMNE to withdraw more than 35,000 amendments that it submitted to the Bill on Language.

Earlier this month, Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov refused to sign this bill, that would make Albanian the country's second official language, into law, and sent it back to parliament.

The Albanian language is now official throughout Macedonia, the parliament in Skopje decided. The law was passed with 69 votes in favor of VMRO-DPMNE's deputies.