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Southeast Europe
June 2, 2017 www.intellinews.com I Page 14
of the EU-mediated Przino agreement, reached in 2015 to overcome the country’s political crisis.
Key appointments in the new cabinet are: De- fence Minister Radmila Sekerinska, former vice prime minister for EU affairs in the period 2002- 2006; Interior Minister Oliver Spasovski, who was also interim interior minister in the transitional government (2015-2016); Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov, a former negotiator with Greece and a diplomat; and Finance Minister Dragan Tevdovski, a professor at the Faculty of Economics in Skopje.
The sticking point in the formation of the new government following the inconclusive December election was the platform adopted by the ethnic Albanian parties as a condition for supporting any government. The platform seeks greater rights for the ethnic Albanian minority, comprising one quarter of the population in Macedonia.
VMRO-DPMNE and President Gjorge Ivanov feared that the platform would lead to the federalisa- tion of the country, and Ivanov repeatedly refused to give a mandate to the SDSM. However the
Vucic’s inauguration in Serbia marred by scuffles, protests
bne IntelliNews
Aleksandar Vucic took his oath of office as Ser- bia’s new president on May 31, in a day marked by protests and several clashes involving his sup- porters, opponents and journalists.
Vucic has served as prime minister since 2014, and despite winning the April 2 election for the presidency – in most respects a more ceremonial role – he is expected to continue to lead the gov-
president was assured by Zaev that the country’s unitary character would be maintained after re- ceiving written guarantees and eventually handed over the mandate in mid-May.
DUI leader Ali Ahmeti has also said that only parts of the platform, which relate to EU and Nato in- tegration, will be incorporated in the new govern- ment programme.
However, during the debate in the parliament,
DUI MPs said that other parts of the platform, like extended use of the Albanian language and allo- cation of budget funds to areas with ethnic Albani- ans, are also part of the government programme. This is likely to lead to further clashes with the professional in future.
VMRO-DPMNE leader and ex-PM Nikola Gruevski said during the debate that his government made huge reforms during the last decade and achieved fabulous results, but blamed “foreign factors” that he claimed worked against VMRO-DPMNE and brought it into opposition, even though the party narrowly won the last December election.
ernment. This situation has been seen under pre- vious presidents who were also the leader of the ruling party (as Vucic is), but nonetheless sparked protests over fears of growing authoritarianism in Serbia.
In a speech after taking the presidential oath, Vucic said he will fight for peace in Serbia and the region, and that he will talk to everyone, offer