Democratic Union for Integration

As the opposition Social Democrats continued to discuss forming a government with ethnic Albanian parties, a mysterious group called Hardcore, which describes itself as a Macedonian patriotic organization, called on ethnic Macedonians to join a protest march in Skopje on Friday.

Amid the ongoing delay in forming a new government after the December 11 elections, an opinion poll published on Monday suggested that if the polls were repeated, the ruling VMRO DPMNE party and its bitter rival, the opposition Social Democrats, SDSM, would win almost equal support, as they did two months ago.

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.

VMRO-DPMNE of Nikola Gruevski and ethnic Albanian DUI party of Ali Ahmeti have not agreed to form a new government within the 20-day deadline which expired on Sunday.

No agreement has been reached on forming a new government between VMRO-DPMNE and DUI, state-run news agency MIA quotes Gruevski as saying.

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.