The State Electoral Commission (SEC) has approved at a session held on Friday the decision for reduction of the number of seats in the councils of several municipalities on the territory of North Macedonia.
As SEC President Boris Kondarko reported, six out of seven SEC members were present at the session at which this decision was discussed, and of them, five voted in favour of it, and only one, member Ditmire Shehu, voted against it.
The decision was proposed by the government, and once it is into force, it will increase the number of seats in the councils of the municipalities of Karpos, Kisela Voda and Studenicani, and will reduce the number of seats in Gostivar, Kicevo, Kratovo, Kriva Palanka, Kumanovo, Pehcevo, Struga, Vrapciste, Debrca, Zelino, Jegunovce, Tearce, Novo Selo and Centar Zupa.
The government cited as arguments for this decision the data provided from the 2021 population census, pledging for reduction of the number of seats in councils of municipalities where the population has decreased.
SEC Member Shehu announced that she will file on Monday a lawsuit before the Administrative Court of North Macedonia in order to dispute this decision. She argues that the number of seats in municipal councils should be determined in accordance with the Law on Local Self-Government, and not based on decisions made by the Government.