VMRO-DPMNE receives mandate to form Macedonian government

23/06/2008

SKOPJE, Macedonia -- VMRO-DPMNE leader and incumbent Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, whose party won the June 1st snap elections, received a mandate Monday (June 23rd) from President Branko Crvenkovski to form a new government after the official convening of the country's new parliament on Saturday. "I have 20 days to form a government. We are faced with a lot of work, a lot of energy and fulfilling the projects we promised to the citizens," Gruevski said. In an interview Sunday with MIA, he said he planned to launch consultations that will determine which of the two ethnic Albanian parties -- the Democratic Union for Integration or the Democratic Party of Albanians -- will join the ruling coalition. Parliament chose VMRO-DPMNE member Trajko Veljanovski as its speaker Saturday. (Utrinski Vesnik, Kanal 5, Vecer, Focus - 23/06/08; MIA - 22/06/08)