SDSM and DUI Reach Agreement for Formation of New Government

Leaders of SDSM and DUI, Zoran Zaev and Ali Ahmeti respectively, reached a final agreement for formation of an alliance for establishment of the new Government of Macedonia. Zaev and Ahmeti held a meeting on Tuesday afternoon at the Club of MPs in Skopje, after which at a press conference they presented the details about the new alliance, as well as its pledges for the upcoming mandate of the new government. “The alliance “We Can” headed by SDSM reached an agreement with DUI and finalised the framework for the cooperation of the new governing alliance, and the new government, that I will head throughout the entire 4-year mandate. It was important to reach agreement as soon as possible so that we can have functioning institutions that would deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. The new government will include professionals on all positions in the institutions of the state, in order for us to implement all necessary reforms for the progress and prosperity of the state, and for its integration in EU. Henceforth, our mutual programme will pivot around the road of progress we mapped out with our accession in NATO, thanks to the Prespa Agreement with Greece, the Good-neighbourliness Agreement with Bulgaria and the Ohrid Framework Agreement. We intend to abolish the process of the so-called “Przino government”, as well as to introduce changes to the electoral model applied in our country. We are considering a model in which the position of PM of North Macedonia would be occupied by SDSM until 100 days before the next parliamentary election, when that position would be taken over by DUI,” Zaev said after the meeting. DUI leader Ahmeti estimated that this governmental alliance of SDSM and DUI will be the most successful in Macedonia ever. “I salute Zaev upon the agreement for allowing an ethnic Albanian to be appointed as PM 100 days before the election of the new government in future. This and other ideas like this one help us bring the citizens closer together, instead dividing them. This alliance is grounded on healthy initiative that would guarantee the prosperity and well-being of all citizens, and I am certain all of them will welcome the agreement we reached here today,” Ahmeti said. Zaev and Ahmeti also informed that they reached an agreement to suggest Talat Xhaferi for another mandate as Parliament Speaker. The central boards of both SDSM and DUI are now to go through the programme of the new alliance and to approve it, according to Zaev, as late as Wednesday evening.