Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski's coalition is leading in Macedonia's parliamentary polls, with 46.7% of the vote, early official results said on Monday.

With 82.6% of the vote counted, the main opposition Social Democratic Union led by Radmila Sekerinska is in second place with 22.1% of the vote, according to the Central Election Commission.

Macedonian lawmakers voted to dissolve parliament and call early elections for June 1 over a quarrel with Greece, which recently vetoed Macedonia's NATO-membership over a 17-year-long dispute with Athens.

Greece objects to Skopje using the name Republic of Macedonia, saying the name implies a territorial claim on the country's northern province of Macedonia, the birthplace of Alexander the Great.

During the election campaign, Gruevski's collation pledged not to change the ex-Yugoslav republic's name under Greek pressure and continue negotiations on Macedonia's entry to the European Union and NATO.

RIA Novosti


Back to "All news" |   Print version