Macedonia: Govt-backed candidate wins presidency

BELGRADE (AA): StevoPendarovski, the candidate of the governing Social Democrats, has declared victory in Sunday’s presidential runoff in North Macedonia. Speaking at a news conference at the party headquarters in the capital Skopje, Pendarovski, who is a supporter of North Macedonia’s name change deal with Greece, said that he will be “everyone’s president”, adding the Macedonians had decided to “move forward together” in the elections.

“I would like to thank all the citizens, Macedonian, Albanian, Turkish, Serbian, Ulah, Roman, Bosniaks, and others who gave me the responsibility to be the president for everyone. I will be the president of everyone,” said Pendarovski. “The result of today’s elections is proof that we are growing bigger, responsible and we deserve to advance. Our place is NATO, in the European Union,” said ZoranZaev, the leader of the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia. Sunday’s election is the sixth presidential election in the country’s modern history, but the first since it made a momentous name change. GordanaSiljanovska-Davkova who won 44.73% in the first round of polls conceded defeat. Davkova was the candidate of the main opposition union. She has argued for canceling the country’s name change deal.

Turkey praises election: Turkish Foreign Ministry welcomed the “successful” completion of the second round of presidential elections held in North Macedonia on Sunday. “We welcome that the second round of Presidential elections held in North Macedonia on 5 May was completed successfully,” the ministry said in a statement late Sunday.

Turkey attaches great importance to the political unity, stability, and prosperity of North Macedonia, the statement read. “We believe that the result of the Presidential elections will consolidate peace and stability in the country,” it added. The statement also said that Turkey will continue to work to further improve bilateral relations with North Macedonia in every area and to cooperate with regional countries to strengthen stability and prosperity in the Balkans.