VMRO-DPMNE

Macedonian (FYROM) President Gjorge Ivanov has refused for a second time to sign legislation passed by the parliament to expand official use of the Albanian language, in a move that could set off a renewed political crisis in the small Balkan nation.

Macedonia's (FYROM) parliament has passed a law extending the official use of the Albanian language, despite protests from the right-wing opposition who say the decision will put the Balkan country's national unity in jeopardy.

Sixty-four lawmakers in the 120-member parliament voted to adopt the law on March 14, without a debate requested by the opposition.

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.

A new round of the Macedonia name dispute talks mediated by UN envoy Matthew Nimetz is expected by the end of the month or the beginning of April, Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev has announced.

According to Macedonian newspaper Vecer, 10,000 people rallied despite the bad weather.

MIA agency reported that the protest was organized by the civic initiative "For United Macedonia" with the aim of "defending the name of the state and the identity of the nation."

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.

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.

Xhaferi, who is from the DUI party representing ethnic Albanians, said Macedonia's coalition government was "determined to pass this law."

The session of the Macedonian Assembly, that will once again debate the act, has been scheduled for January 29.

Tanjug is on Tuesday quoting the website Telegraf to report that in his explanation of the decision, Ivanov wrote that "the European flag was abused" during the adoption of this piece of legislation, and that it was passed by a simple majority.

The FYROM (Macedonian) parliament has ratified a friendship treaty with neighboring Bulgaria aimed at ending years of feuding and boosting Macedonia's bid to join the European Union.

Sixty-one lawmakers in the 120-member parliament backed the pact on January 15, with the main opposition party boycotting the session.