VMRO-DPMNE

The Macedonian Parliament ratified the Friendship and Neighborhood Agreement between the Republic of Macedonia and Bulgaria with 61 votes in favor of the good neighborship and friendship between the two countries.

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.

Macedonia's main opposition VMRO DPMNE party insists that its MPs' caucus in parliament stands united behind the new party chief, Hristijan Mickoski, elected in December - despite growing evidence to the contrary.

"The caucus is strong and united. All MPs are actively participating in the decision-making process within the organs of the party," VMRO DPMNE told BIRN on Thursday.

Mickoski, who previously held the post of secretary general in the party, won 376 votes out of a possible 428 from delegates present at the party congress in the southeastern town of Valandovo. He was the only candidate standing. 

The central and the executive committees of Macedonia's opposition VMRO DPMNE party have until Friday to address the complaints of some 30 prominent party members who claim that the election of a new leader, slated for this weekend at a party congress, will be marred by fraud.

The Neighborhood and Friendship Agreement between the Republic of Macedonia and Bulgaria, signed on 1 August by the Prime Ministers of both countries Zoran Zaev and Boyko Borisov, will be ratified by parliament in January.

This was stated by the Macedonian Parliament Speaker Talat Xhaferi during a meeting with Bulgarian Vice President Iliyana Yotova.

After formally accepting the resignation of long-standing opposition leader Nikola Gruevski on Sunday night, Macedonia's main opposition right-wing VMRO-DPMNE party is set to elect his successor from several possible contestants. The extraordinary congress is scheduled for December 22-23.

The prime minister of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) said on Friday that the country's nationalist opposition party VMRO-DPMNE is showing sign that it has moderated its stance with regard to the decades-old name dispute with Greece.

The prime minister of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) said on Friday that the country's nationalist opposition party VMRO-DPMNE is showing sign that it has moderated its stance with regard to the decades-old name dispute with Greece.

The monuments of “Alexander the Great”, “Mother Teresa” and “Andon Janev Koseto” will soon be removed from Skopje’s central square. The government has gathered a group of experts who are reviewing the monuments built as part of the “Skopje 2014” project.