Zoran Zaev

Photo: AFP

NATO plans to accept Macedonia (FYROM) by the spring of 2018, Sputnik has been told by a source familiar with Skopje's membership negotiations.

"NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg plans to visit to Skopje in mid-July and discuss this. The goal of NATO is for the country to be accepted to the alliance by the spring of 2018," the source told the news agency.

Zoran Zaev, the PM of FYROM said the previous governments of Nikola Gruevski had provoked Greece by erecting many statues of historical figures (Alexander the Great, Philip of Macedon etc), as well as renaming main roads and the airport of the country. Speaking to FYROM state television, Mr.

Dimitrov, who is part of the new Macedonian government elected last Wednesday, will travel to Greece by invitation of his Greek counterpart, Nikos Kotzias. The exact time of the visit has not yet been revealed.

PM Boyko Borisov greeted Zoran Zaev on his election as a primier of the Republic of Macedonia and expressed his expectations for the strengthening of the good neighborly relations between the two states and also for Macedonia's approximination to the EU accession negotiations, reported BNR.

After a two-day stormy debate in the Assembly, Macedonia has a new government, headed by Zoran Zaev.

62 members of the assembly voted on favor, 44 were against, while five did not attend the sitting.

Zoran Zaev - Photo: AP

FYROM's (Macedonia) parliament has elected a new center-left coalition government led by former opposition leader Zoran Zaev, ending a six-month political stalemate.

Lawmakers voted 62-44 just before midnight Wednesday to confirm a 26-member Cabinet proposed by Zaev, who leads the Social Democrat party. Five lawmakers abstained and nine were absent.

Zoran Zaev said on Tuesday that his government would be devoted to economic development, strengthening institutions and Euro-Atlantic integrations.

"Our goal is to start negotiations with the EU in the shortest possible time, as well as membership in NATO," the PM-designate said explaining the government's program to MPs in parliament, asking for their support, Beta reported.

Apart from undertaking several long-term daunting tasks, which will require much more time and dedication, the new cabinet of Prime Minister-designate Zoran Zaev plans to start work by proposing several swift regulations aimed at easing some financial burdens on hard-pressed citizens.

A proposal was submitted to the parliament of Macedonia on Sunday night of the members and the programme of the new Macedonian cabinet with Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, reported BNR.

Parliamentary speaker Talat Xhaferi stated that discussions on the new cabinet will start on 30 May.

Zoran Zaev revealed the composition of his cabinet late Sunday, which parliament is expected to approved this week. Speaker of Parliament Talat Xhaferi has set the date for the session to start on Tuesday.

The key posts are to be shared between Zaev's Social Democratic Party, SDSM, and Macedonia's main ethnic Albanian party, the Democratic Union for Integration, DUI.