VMRO-DPMNE

Macedonia's Parliamment sent a formal notice to inform President Gjorge Ivanov no government can be formed by VMRO-DPMNE leader Nikola Gruevski.

Ivanov earlier said he would kick off consultations with all political parties.

The two biggest parties, VMRO-DPMNE and SDSM, openly disagree on what Ivanov's next step should be.

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.

No decision has been taken on whether to form a government between conservative VMRO-DPMNE and ethnic Albanian DUI party in Macedonia, local media report.

The Democratic Union of Albania (DUI) on Sunday is expected to decide whether to join hands with conservative VMRO-DPMNE to form together with it the country's next government.

DUI has been refraining from a decision for days, almost exhausting the week-long deadline VMRO-DPMNE leader Nikola Gruevski has in order to form a cabinet.

VMRO-DPMNE leader Nikola Gruevski has been given a mandate to form the next government of Macedonia, state-run MIA news agency reports.

Gruevski's conservative party, leading a coalition in the snap parliamentary election in December, got the biggest number of votes, but won the poll only by a small margin.

Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov on Monday entrusted Nikola Gruevski with a fresh mandate to form a new government after his VMRO DPMNE party narrowly won the December 11 elections.

He has 20 days to secure a majority of 61 in the 120-seat parliament and present a new team to parliament, or return the mandate.

Macedonia's President Gjorge Ivanov has until Monday to offer a mandate for the formation of a new government to one of two would-be prime ministers, VMRO DPMNE leader Nikola Gruevski or opposition Social Democrat chief Zoran Zaev.

The ruling party in Macedonia VMRO-DPMNE of former Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski is the final winner in the snap parliamentary elections held on December 11 in the country, showed the results published on the website of the Macedonian Election Commission and cited by local media.

A Macedonian court has granted two requests, one from each of the biggest parties, to hold a repeat election in two stations, potentially reshaping the result.

The Administrative Court of Macedonia has ruled in favour of two complaints, by conservative VMRO-DPMNE and socialist SDSM party, setting a new vote on December 25, according to state-run MIA news agency.

Former policeman Johan Tarculovski has entered parliament after being elected as MP in the country's second electoral unit that covers parts of Macedonia's north-east but also parts of capital Skopje.