Presidential elections are held today in the Republic of North Macedonia, BNR reported. Seven contenders are fighting for the trust of the voters, including the current head of state Stevo Pendarovski and the Minister of Foreign Affairs Buyar Osmani. For the first time, the Albanian opposition in the country will participate in elections with one common candidate.
The continuation of the European integration process and the adoption of the constitutional changes, which are a condition for the start of negotiations for membership in the European Union, were the themes in the campaigns of the candidate for a second term Stevo Pendarovski, supported by the ruling Social Democratic Union. of Bujar Osmani, raised by the "Democratic Union for Integration" and the candidate of the united Albanian opposition Arben Taravari.
The candidates of the parties VMRO-DPMNE, "Znam" and "Thunder" - Gordana Siljanovska, Maxim Dimitrievski and Stevcho Yakimovski. The raised by "The Left" Bilyana Vankovska is against the Euro-Atlantic orientation of the country and for canceling the Good Neighbor Agreement with Bulgaria and the Prespa Agreement, which ended the name dispute with Greece.
Over 1,800,000 voters have the right to participate in today's vote. Expectations are for high turnout and for a runoff on May 8 between the current president Stevo Pendarovski and the candidate of VMRO - DPMNE - Gordana Silyanovska.