Macedonia president refuses to give opposition mandate

SKOPJE: Macedonia’s political crisis deepened as the president refused to give opposition leader Zoran Zaev a mandate to form a government, although he won the backing of a parliamentary majority.

President Gjorge Ivanov said on Wednesday he would not give a mandate to anyone supporting “a platform undermining Macedonia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence”.

He referred to the controversial demand of minority ethnic Albanian parties, who have backed Zaev, that Albanian be made an official language across Macedonia.

Social Democrat leader Zaev hit back by accusing the president of launching a “coup” and leading the small Balkan country into a “deep crisis with immeasurable consequences”.

Zaev had on Monday presented Ivanov with signatures showing support from 67 members of the 120-seat parliament, following weeks of negotiations after an inconclusive election in December.

Ivanov earlier said he would grant Zaev a mandate if he won enough backing.

But in a statement to reporters on Monday, the president warned that the country’s “sovereignty and independence are being jeopardised” by negotiations over the platform “of a foreign state”— apparently a reference to neighbouring Albania.

Albanian political groups, who emerged as kingmakers in the election, made their support for a new government conditional on nationwide official status being granted for their language.

Zaev has not made clear exactly what he agreed on the issue.